Oxfordshire reacts to council’s botched pothole repairs

The poorly repaired potholes in and around Didcot are damaging vehicles and putting safety at risk, according to a county councillor.

Ian Snowdon, who represents Didcot West, has criticised Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, for its programme of pothole repairs.

According to Mr Snowdon, highways bosses are “presiding over a complete failure that is leaving residents to drive on dangerous roads, damaging vehicles and putting safety at risk”.

Mr Snowdon said residents across Didcot and the surrounding area are becoming increasingly frustrated by poor-quality pothole repairs that fail within days, and serious potholes being left for months despite repeated reports through the council’s FixMyStreet portal.

One motorist Laurence Williams said: “It’s no good to make roads safer by introducing lower speed limits everywhere if the roads are in the shocking state of repair.

“This is a highways department that wants to encourage cyclists yet puts them in harm’s way by not giving them decent road surfaces to cycle on.

“Prioritise fixing the roads before all the other nonsense they seem to be obsessed with.”

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Ian Snowdon, who represents Didcot West (Image: Oxford Mail)

Some people argued the council’s own website, Fixmystreet, isn’t fit for purpose and isn’t regularly checked.

One critic Simon Hall said: “We lost two tyres the other day due to the large trench at the Headington roundabout.

“It is very dangerous as the hole leads directly onto a fast dual carriageway and we could have suffered a blow out with kids in the car.”

Similarly, Harriet Jones, said: “The one at the top of Abingdon Road has been like it for months, the same as the ones between Marsh Bridge Road about and Tesco.

“It would be a different story if someone from the council hit a pothole that would soon be repaired though.”

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Locals agreed with the councillor that the current method of fixing potholes doesn’t make the repairs significantly permanent.

Motorist Melvyn Trehearne said: “They fixed my end of Queensway six months ago, but a large one appeared on the side of the road.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t think I’ll bother asking someone to fix my street, because by the time they come and fix it, one or two more will appear.”

A pothole. (Image: Newsquest)

Other residents argued not enough of the budget is being spent on repairs and is instead being focused on less important projects.

Penny-Anne Payne said: “It’s not just potholes that need doing there are pavements that need redoing too. Less road signs more money available more repairs done properly.”

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: “Oxfordshire County Council has a limited budget to maintain roads, paths and cycle paths.

“So we can best manage this, we fix reported potholes based on the risk that they pose to all road users. At the same time, we carry out scheduled maintenance.”

The county council has been contacted for further comment.