The pothole moles

[Neil Smith]

Has anybody else noticed that the worst areas for potholes are the really annoying speed bumps

[wolfman]

Potholes: Make the council pay
By Steve Farrell

Politics & the law

24 February 2009 15:32


Guidelines for claiming from the council after a pothole crash have been released by the AA.

The motoring group issued the advice as it warned freezing weather had left roads so damaged they were 'teetering on collapse'.

The Association said in a statement: 'Although potholes are inevitable after severe weather, the UK teeters on local road collapse from a maintenance backlog that was already going to cost £1 billion and take 11 years to put straight - before this winter.
'Local authorities have blitzed potholes by filling them as they appear in recent years - 853,614 potholes were filled-in last year at an average cost of £69 each.

However, restoring the road surface and stopping the re-emergence of potholes through proper maintenance has lagged by an ever-increasing amount.'

The AA’s guide to claiming

1. Remember, Highway Authorities have a statutory defence as they cannot be held liable for defects they do not know about and have not picked up in regular checks – they are supposed to keep inspection records. A Highways Authority may be liable if they have not acted after receiving a defect report.

2. If you suffer vehicle or other damage due to a pothole make sure the authorities are notified straight away if the defect is serious. Take a note of key details e.g. place, location of defect, its size shape and depth – ideally take photographs. Get 'witness' details.

3. Report the defect as soon as possible. Many councils have websites and special phone lines to help with this.

4. Get quotes for repair or get repairs done – keep quotes, bills and receipts.

5. Write to the highway authority responsible for that stretch of road with all the details.

6. If your claim is rejected and you feel this is unfair ask to see road inspection reports, and try again to claim. If the damage is very expensive, seek legal advice.

7. Most claims may be below a level worth making an insurance claim.

from MCN

[Rudolph Hucker]

[David Weeks, director of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, told the Daily Mail: “I think we could see well over a million pothole repairs in the year because of the recent bad weather.” ]

Talking to a Finnish acquaintance the other night about this "problem" had him in fits. Their local temperature regularly falls below -20, 2' of snow, etc. etc. and so they've all got studded tyres and snow ploughs that Britain (probably rightly in places like London) miss to keep civiisation moving for their 4 months of severe winter; but now we're saying our roads cannot cope with a little chill. Sorry but that just smacks of shoddy workmanship when the roads are made/repaired (see also Neil's January 9th post...). Don't blame the weather, blame the wholly inefficient Public Sector Purchasing. Having worked in and around Private Sector Purchasing for a few years it makes me chuckle how badly it gets done by Civil Servants. Not just hugely expensive in comparison but unforgivable quality, inflexible order quantities and crazy lead times (not to mention country of origin in many instances). No wonder then our taxes (direct and indirect) keep rising but the return we get diminishes year on year....

(Mark, where's my spell check option gone...?)

Rudolph.

[amazon]

The moles have gone.

             UNDERGROUND .

[wolfman]

The moles have gone.

[wolfman]

By Steve Farrell

Other

13 February 2009 17:51


Over a million potholes will need to be repaired this year following recent arctic weather conditions, according to experts.

They say damage caused water expanding as it freezes in cracks will leave roads in their worst state for years and councils facing a £64 million repair bill.

Roads across the country have already thawed to reveal thousands of new potholes, many an inch deep or more. The full extent of the problem is yet to emerge as some regions are still affected by snow or flooding.

David Weeks, director of the Asphalt Industry Alliance, told the Daily Mail: “I think we could see well over a million pothole repairs in the year because of the recent bad weather.”

from MCN website

[Lisa Oldham]

I'll be on the phone for hours if i ring about the pot holes appearing on bowden lane and norbury.... roads are falling apart everywhere!!!

[wolfman]

When working in your area, the Pothole Moles pledge to repair potholes reported during the same or following working day.

The ‘Moles’ are now working in the Marple North Ward. To report a pothole:




Call the Pothole Hotline on 0845 833 4444;

Text the word ‘Pothole’ and the location of the pothole to 07797 806626;

Email 'The Pothole Moles' by filling in the Report Problems on Highways and Footpaths - Online Form under 'Related Links' on the right of the page.

To report a hazardous pothole anywhere in the borough call 0845 833 4444.

[Neil Smith]

I have now worked out why the council have named this service "pothole moles"

Before they arrive you have a hole in the road, after they leave you are left with a mound in the road.

[Neil Smith]

The way they are fixing the holes is silly, they are cold rolling the tarmac and not cleaning the hole good enough either hence why less than a week later there is a hole back an the same spot.

Come on SMBC good try at doing something about these holes but lets do it correct first time so your not wasting OUR money.

[wolfman]

Due to the recent cold snap the Pothole Moles have been busy with gritting duties and have been unable to fill in any pot holes. Therefore the ‘Moles’ will now begin work in the Offerton Ward as soon as the weather improves.

from SMBC website

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[wolfman]

To find out where the "pothole Moles" are currently employed check http://www.stockport.gov.uk/content/transportstreets/roadandpathwaymaintenance/potholemoles/workschedule?a=5441   as at today they are in Bramhall moving to Cheadle Hulme. If enough Marple people  report "Potholes" by the time they get round to us they should be fully occupied for at least a month!!!

[wolfman]

How many holes in Marple Cheshire as opposed to Blackburn Lancashire?

[wolfman]

By David Millward, Transport Editor
Last Updated: 7:20PM BST 07 Oct 2008
The telegraph
Local government leaders blame "no-win no-fee" lawyers for the large bill they faced last year.
They claim that the money could have been better spent fixing nearly 950,000 potholes - a quarter of the total in England and Wales.
The compensation payments are even outstripping the £52.3 million they spend on dealing with the problem.
David Sparks, chairman of the Local Government Association's Transport and Regeneration Board, said councils were being hampered in the work by the amount it was having to pay in compensation.
"Since no-win no-fee was introduced, almost all councils have seen an increase in compensation claims. Of course, where people have a legitimate claim, they're entitled to compensation, but there's a real fear that no-win, no-fee lawyers are clogging up the system with spurious claims from people just chancing their arm. Tightening the law would help put a stop to this.
"With high fuel prices, changes to car tax and the threat of recession the temptation for drivers to try their luck is greater than ever.
These complaints did not impress the AA. "To call it compensation culture is grossly unfair.
"Councils are liable for the damage they cause. Many motorists don't get anything back. If town halls fixed the roads then there wouldn't be any claims."

[nbt]

Nothing on the pothole at the entrance to Memorial Park when we walked past last night