Potholes to be repaired on Leece Lane in Barrow after year of waiting

The issue has been something raised by locals for more than a year and now it is something they hope will be rectified once the work is complete.

Paul Griffiths, admin of Roosecote Community Hub, said: “Potholes are a long-standing issue, not just for Roosecote but nationwide.

“I accept that the problem isn’t helped by the 25 per cent cut in budget for road repairs which saw the Government slash funding to Cumbria County Council in 2021/22 by £10.5m.

“However, the Council actively promote the use of their online reporting portal for residents to inform them of dangerous potholes which Roosecote Community Hub residents have been using.

“Collectively we have had some success in getting repairs carried out around Roose but one area, in particular, has proved difficult.”

PICTURED: Paul Griffiths

Mr Griffiths has hailed the start of the works as "great news".

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “The Highways team is planning on undertaking an inlay on Leece Lane - to pick up a number of potholes that have come through both online reports and recent inspections.

“It is a busy route, and a section outside the chip shop is particularly worn.”

The work is due to start following the completion of Cadent’s gas work in the area.

“The junction with Leece Lane and Holebeck Road has some dangerous potholes that residents have been reporting for over a year,” Mr Griffiths continued.

“Because the junction is also a sharp bend on a 30 miles per hour road, I was so concerned for cyclists and motorcyclists’ safety that I bought my own warning sign, pending the repairs being carried out.

“However, the sign is now one year old with no sign of the potholes being fixed and I wonder what criteria the Highways engineers apply when deciding whether or not to repair a pothole?

“Maybe the busy location is prohibitive but when there is serious risk to life or limb, surely a wait of over one year is unacceptable?

“I would like to challenge the Highways department to justify why there is no feedback to the pothole reports for this particular junction except and also challenge them to explain why it has not been repaired before now.”