Spring is in the air – and the potholes are in the roads…
Our Chairperson took a short walk from his home and photographed the hazards shown in these pictures.
If it seems like there are more and more potholes, you’d be right.
A lack of investment in road maintenance and our increasingly wet winters, combined with cold snaps followed by warmer spells, create the ideal conditions for potholes to form.
Plus, the increase in heavier vehicles driving over the cracks and holes further weakens road surfaces.
Potholes are of course annoying and sometimes dangerous for car drivers, but they can be lethal for cyclists.
A survey of UK cyclists for National Pothole Day 2022 found that 21% have been involved in an accident because of a pothole, with 22% of those incidents resulting in a personal injury, while 63% suffered damage to their bike because of one.
Read the article here: https://www.cycle-sos.co.uk/the-dangers-of-potholes-for-cyclists/
Cycling UK has relaunched the Fill That Hole website which allows you to report any potholes you come across quickly and easily.
You can of course contact your local council directly, however by using the Fill That Hole website other people can see when the pothole was reported.
Link to the Pothole Reporting website: https://www.fillthathole.org.uk/
All you need to do is fill in a form with all the details requested (take some photos) and the report will automatically be sent to the relevant local authority.
The form also allows you to report a variety of other road hazards and issues. The website is mobile friendly, so you don’t need to download an app – just bookmark the webpage and you’re ready to go.
Reporting any potholes you find while out on your bike will help make the roads that bit safer for all of us.
Susan Children
RCC Publicity Coordinator
