Shropshire may get £1m to fix potholes
Monday 28th February 2011, 11:29AM GMT.
Shropshire is expected to get £1.5 million to fix the county’s potholes in the wake of the harsh winter weather, county officials said today.
The Government is expected to award the cash to Shropshire Council to repair the county’s crumbling highways, which have caused misery for motorists in recent months.
The county is among a number across the country hoping to get a slice of £100 million set aside for the repair work.
It comes after freezing temperatures over the winter left many minor and side roads in a bad state of repair.
Officials believe the funds are essential to prevent further damage and a major programme of works is expected to begin in the spring and summer in preparation for next winter.
Chris Edwards, assistant director for environmental maintenance at the council, said: “Last year the government distributed funds using a formula based on road length. If they do the same this year, we expect to get around £1.5 million to repair our roads.
“We are currently assessing our roads and putting together a programme to prioritise those in most need of repair.”
In January, council bosses in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin assured drivers the most dangerous potholes would be filled in within 24 hours of being reported.
The move came in response to major concerns about the state of some roads. Lower priority potholes are being dealt with according to their severity.
Bob Ellis, Shropshire Council’s head of environmental maintenance, urged people to report potholes on 0345 6789006.
Telford & Wrekin Council is also urging people to report potholes to a special hotline.
UK News
Most Commented
- Clampdown on Shrewsbury chuggers
- Bishop's gay marriage views do nothing to support bible teachings
- Planners ordered to stay on Newport visit bus
- Letter: Angered by close encounter of the furred kind
- Letter: Alcohol price plans annoy me
- Shrewsbury’s broadband speed one of slowest in UK
- Letter: No sense in overseas job adverts
Shropshire Star on Twitter
Keep updated with the latest breaking news and content on our Twitter feed.
Lifestyle
Interactive Dining Out map
Hundreds of reviews by the Shropshire Star and Express & Star's teams to help you decide where to eat.
Entertainment
All the film reviews
Before you plan a trip to the pictures, get our critics' verdicts on all the latest movie releases.
OUR NEW APP
Get the new Shropshire Star app
Download the Shropshire Star’s new app to your iPad or iPhone to get one week of access to our digital newspapers absolutely FREE.
shropshirestar.com
Popular sections
Useful links
Continually filling potholes is not the answer. The roads of Shropshire have not been adequately maintained of the past 20 years, both Telford & Wrekin Council and the various councils in Shropshire before became unitary have operated a make do and mend attitude to road repairs very little has been done to properly maintain roads, especially the more minor ones. It is time a proper planned program of road repairs and resurfacing was carried out.
Report abuse
Where will the money come from?
Report abuse
Each year the council does create a schedule of the roads it is going to resurface, based on the carriageway inspections it undertakes. But the money will only stretch so far, and 1m will not resurface many roads.
Report abuse
Don’t worry. It will cost us nothing.
The tar we will get from liberated Libya, and labour from Dave’s Big Society.
Report abuse
The amount of TAX that motorists pay, the streets should be lined with gold!!
Report abuse
it certainly needs it, start at the junction the cantlop and cross houses road and Sainsburys in Meole
Report abuse
How is it the govt can find £100m when it wants to, but when it comes to saving services, jobs and the NHS, schools, day centres for the disabled, it’s bankrupt?
Report abuse