Weather causes plague of potholes in Chester - show us where they are here

Jan 21 2010 by Paul Mannion, Chester Chronicle

POTHOLES have ruined thousands of miles of roads across the county in the aftermath of the freezing winter weather.

The coldest winter for more than 30 years has played havoc with the road surfaces and, at the time of going to press, Cheshire West and Chester Council engineers had already received 389 pothole reports, 139 more than this time last year, as well as 216 in December.

Councilor Neil Ritchie, environment executive member, said: “Due to the freeze thaw conditions currently being experienced it may take several months for the full extent of the damage to be revealed.”

It is feared about 1,300 miles of road across the authority will need repairs and the council has said it will earmark extra finances to deal with the damage, although no figure has been set.

Council leader Cllr Mike Jones added: “We expect the cost of repairs to rise considerably this year because of the unprecedented weather conditions and the authority is already examining alternative ways of funding the increase.”

As well as being a nuisance to road users, potholes can cause serious damage to cars, motorbikes and pedal cycles, with burst tyres, axle and suspension damage the most common problems.

Tom Barnes, director of Cheshire-based Asphalt Re-lay Ltd, who have been working around the clock to cure the pothole problem, said: “We have been working nearly 24/7.

“We normally shut down between Christmas and the New Year but this year we were asked to work by Cheshire East council.

“Then following that we had the big freeze and we were in all week, which has never been done before, working in Cheshire West and Chester, including two night shifts, which we’ve also never done before.

“It’s obviously a country-wide problem - the freezing and thawing and the salt absolutely destroys the roads.

“There’s always an increase in winter but the weather this year has made it massively worse.

“The traditional way of repairing pot holes results in subsequent repairs, and the situation gets worse and worse, we offer a permanent first time repair and hopefully a long term solution.”

Heavy snow fall and icy conditions created a cycle of freezing and thawing, widening cracks in the ageing roads, and creating new potholes.

The Institution of Civil Engineers vice-president Geoff French said: “Water gets into cracks in the road surface, it then freezes and expands the crack.

“Then more water gets in, it freezes, because of the weather cycle we’re in, and it steadily gets worse.”

Angry residents across Chester have reported dozens of new potholes on the city’s streets.

One said: “Pretty much the whole length of Lache Lane is suffering very badly from potholes and crumbling tarmac.

“It’s dangerous to cyclists, lots of holes on the edge of the road which they’d have to ride through or swerve out into the road, and damaging to vehicles.”

Readers have contacted the Chronicle complaining of craters in roads on the Old Dee Bridge, Vincent Drive, Lime Grove, and Hoole Bridge, despite work on the bridge finishing last year at a cost of £1.3m.