POOR ROADS

Hi, I was just amused looking at an advert for a crossover vehicle pulling off the road onto a track.
These tracks seem to be in better condition than the roads we have to drive on nowadays!.

I agree!

As a (motor) biker and a motorhome driver, I feel every single pot hole :(

The road surfaces round this way have deteriorated soooooo much, just over the last few months really when we had that bad weather spell.

Shockingly poor workmanship and crap council budgets I guess.

Just the same in our area. I also ride a motorbike, and some of the main roads have holes and degradation severe enough to cause damage or even an accident. I know we've had a bad winter and lots of salt on the roads, but we've had recent spring-like weather and I've yet to see a repair team on the roads.
The annoying thing is that like much of the country, our council tax has increased twice as much as inflation. Fat pensions, (especially the police, 6.6% tax increase) seem to take most of our cash..
Al.

Many of the potholes seem to occur where a perfectly surfaced road has been dug up by utility companies and then poorly restored. They should be held responsible for any required repairs for a significant period after carrying out the work. I don't see why councils (and hence council tax payers) should have to bear the cost in these cases.

Just spent £500.00 on having new sus components on Jacky's Smart,
then last week another £500.00 on my Passat sus as well.
I try to 'drive-around pot-holes, as do we all, but get caught out when I miss one only to drive into others!

A couple of years back, there was a very bad stretch of main road nearby, they finally re-surfaced it at great inconvenience, then the VERY NEXT DAY, the water Co. dug a trench right across the new road!!
Don't these yo-yo's talk to each other????

A couple of days ago they were surveying the main road through the village for resurfacing. The bad section is a 100m stretch between two turnings, chatting to the engineer I asked if it has been discussed with the water company. "Not normally, why?". "Because that stretch has been dug up a couple of times a year for the last ten years".

Other than planned work that should be co-ordinated (but never is) the very act of resurfacing will stress joints so it is very common for repair being required after relaying

I thought the roads were bad at home but Ayrshire roads are worse. Thank goodness I don't put the Michelin recommended pressure in my rear tyres as all my fillings would have dropped out by now.

Where now? 
And yes the road from Stranraer to the Ayr by-pass is dire!
Even worse in our Up though I can swerve quicker in her as long as I keep a good distance between me and the heavies.
frederic
I run our '09 Duetto (Hankooks) at 43/48 when touring.

Paulmold wrote:I thought the roads were bad at home but Ayrshire roads are worse. Thank goodness I don't put the Michelin recommended pressure in my rear tyres as all my fillings would have dropped out by now.

Couldnt agree more Paul but currently doing around 1400 miles a week for work and it does not get any better the further you go! This might be the reason see this
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Zn9hZxTi8Qk   

East Riding roads are terrible,North riding roads are far better, repair crews out most of the day around Filey, even the county park roads have been repaired.
Boaby

I've just reported our worst pot hole on the council website. I've measured it at two feet by three feet, and 10 inches deep and getting deeper every day.
I've now got a reference number so watch this space.
Al.

Liked it Kaspian, and will be recommending it to our council as it does seem better than the present situation, and while waiting in the endless traffic jam there's a free quick snack!

burlingtonboaby wrote:East Riding roads are terrible,North riding roads are far better, repair crews out most of the day around Filey, even the county park roads have been repaired.
Boaby

Hi Boaby
You need the "Tour de Yorkshire" to pass through the town to get the road repairs
Cheers
Hubert

We had it last time Hubert, made no difference, some patched areas are like ribble strips, have you got your bike all oiled up Hubert.
Boaby

In S Wales at the moment and travelled along the A40 for many miles. I was very impressed by the mice smooth ride on much of it. Obviously had been recently resurfaced.

Lane next to our house is deteriorating badly as we are now getting attics down it to a new packhouse. They chew up the verges and crunch up the tarmac where they go round the many blind bends.

burlingtonboaby wrote: have you got your bike all oiled up Hubert.

I think somebody has painted it blue and yellow ! 
The only bike I could beat them on would be my motorbike.

Hubert

Nice one Hubert.    
Boaby

The roads was one of the complaints on a local election piece in the news last night. However those complaining never actually suggest where the money comes from to increase spending on their pet service. The local government tax increase is mostly an attempt to offset drops in central funding.

Anybody in favour of an increase in income taxes?

I found the roads in Norfolk were good, some excellent, better than where I live, or Lincs come to that.

HairyFool wrote:The roads was one of the complaints on a local election piece in the news last night. However those complaining never actually suggest where the money comes from to increase spending on their pet service. The local government tax increase is mostly an attempt to offset drops in central funding.

Anybody in favour of an increase in income taxes?

But as well as council tax, motorists contribute vehicle taxes as well as duty and VAT on fuel. 
If we're talking about new taxes, why not tax everything that has wheels and wears out the roads. Caravans and trailers or anything towed should be taxed and tested, they do it in other countries, so why not here?
Al

Personally I would prefer to do away with all the various taxes and pay government a single tax it costs to run the country but by splitting it up into little "stealth" taxes we never know how much we are paying.

VED doesn't cover road expenditure on its own, should it be reduced to a nominal value and applied to fuel?

I guess that would go some way to making all the massive foreign registered trucks pay something towards the damage they cause to our roads.
Al.

Problem with a lot are roads here is the utility company's come and dig up a section and don't re-enstate the surface correctly, winter weather gets into the surface and exposes the sub surface creating the pot hole or rut.
Boaby

That is a sore point because unfortunately not. Many have massive tanks that mean they can do the length of UK and back without a fill. EU rules don't allow that to be classed as importing fuel so cannot be taxed.

Some foreign trucks Al do not buy fuel in this country, they have extra fuel tanks , enough not to need to buy fuel here, have a look next time on motorway.