Residents’ frustration over 'state' of pothole repairs in Grantham street

Residents on a busy Grantham road are frustrated after long-awaited pothole repair work was carried out near their homes.

Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) asked neighbours on Queensway and Canberra Crescent to move their cars for repair work to be carried out last Monday (September 27).

However residents said are disappointed by the ‘state’ of the job done.

Dunc Philding said: “Queensway has always been a bad road. It is a main bus route so the roads need maintaining correctly but this beggars belief - but are we surprised?”

Steve Sutton also lives on Queensway and revealed that some motorists drive on the path to avoid the potholes.

He added “The state of the repair work done is what I have now come to expect.”

South Kesteven District (SKDC) councillor Ian Selby, who represents the Harrowby ward, went to inspect the repair work.

He said: “I shook my head in disbelief. LCC built up the excitement and hopes of the residents on Queensway by asking them to leave their cars off the road. I took photos before and after their paltry efforts.”

County councillor Linda Wootten agrees that the road is in need of repair but stated that last week’s work was never a resurfacing job.

She added: “There is no denying the Queensway road surface is in a less than satisfactory state, as are many areas all around town. Regarding this latest session of repair, it is disappointing for residents to receive a letter asking for cars to be removed to do a certain job, which didn’t happen.

“It never was a resurfacing job but, a neat saw cut repair was to have been done. However, due to the poor condition of the surrounding previous pot hole repairs, the only option to make the area safe, was to do more infilling.

“Every year I ask for certain areas to be considered for resurfacing, Queensway being one of them. All work has to be prioritised and budgeted for.

“The Lincolnshire Highway network covers 5,534 miles, the fifth largest area of any local authority in England. Lincolnshire is underfunded and a recent decision was made to take money from reserves to top up the Highway budget this year.”

LCC confirmed there are plans for the road to be resurfaced.

Karen Cassar, assistant director for highways, said: “It’s clear this road surface needs a larger patching and resurfacing scheme, so we’re planning one into our schedule. In the meantime, we’re going to inspect the road surface regularly and carry out any minor repairs, just to keep it safe until we can get in and sort it properly.”