Horsham potholes: Council speaks out after repairs branded a ‘disgusting waste of resources’

After furious drivers fumed on social media about the state of Horsham’s roads the council has spoken out about repairs.
JPCT 141013 S13411205x  photo by Steve CobbJPCT 141013 S13411205x  photo by Steve Cobb
JPCT 141013 S13411205x photo by Steve Cobb

Angry motorists took to the County Times Facebook page to express their dismay about the district’s ‘dangerous roads’.

West Sussex County Council has now responded to claims that repair work is an ‘absolutely disgusting waste of resources’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesman for the council said: “The county council and our contractor work hard to repair the worst potholes as soon as possible.

“From April 2018 to April 2019, we repaired 2,775 potholes across the Horsham district and a total of more than 18,000 across the county.

“This does not include the miles of road resurfacing that has been carried out – these are larger areas which provide long-lasting replacements which are strong, less vulnerable to potholes and the need for frequent and disruptive small repairs.”

The spokesman told how two potholes are scheduled for repair in Forest Road, Colgate, on April 18.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He added: “They are in an area that requires road space booking in advance, plus traffic management for the safety of both the public and workforce.

“Likewise, road space booking and traffic lights will be needed when two pothole are scheduled for repair in Hayes Lane, Slinfold, on April 10.

“We had received no reports for Meyers Wood, Partridge Green and would urge people to report concerns about potholes online using our Love West Sussex app.”

The statement told how the council is responsible for maintaining around 2,500 miles of road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The spokesman said: “Unfortunately, roads are not permanent structures and deteriorate over time from constant use, the weight of vehicles using them and the effects of weather.

“Repairing defects, such as potholes, is done on a priority basis, dependent on size and depth.

“The roads are inspected dependent on their hierarchy, with A and B classification ordinarily inspected on a monthly basis.

“C-class and main distributor roads on a three or six-monthly basis and declassified roads are typically inspected annually.”