Take it as red - colour conspiracy idea is a hole lot of nonsense

For years people across the county will have heard the suggestion that the different colours denoted a ranking system setting out a hierarchy of those potholes most in need of repair.

It seems even the leader of Shropshire Council has been quizzed on the meaning of the circles, because Councillor Peter Nutting used a meeting of the authority’s cabinet to get the definitive answer.

It emerged there is no system whatsoever to the colour of paint used, and no deeper meaning – it is just the colour of paint the council worker happens to have in their possession.

Speaking to the authority’s officer responsible for highways, Steve Brown, councillor Nutting said: “Potholes sometimes have yellow paint and sometimes have blue paint, sometimes it is red.”

Strategy

The council leader said he knew the paint was just there to indicate a pothole but asked the highways officer to spell it out for the public.

In response Mr Brown said: “There is no mysterious reason. It is just what someone has in the van at the time.”

The comments came during a session of the authority’s cabinet where the forthcoming winter maintenance strategy was approved.

The plan is committed to gritting 28 per cent of the county’s roads – although some councillors said this has left the authority lagging behind other councils in the amount they grit.

The percentage maintains the same level of gritting as last year.

However, the council wants to press ahead with setting up a ‘snow volunteer scheme’ mentioned earlier this year.

A committee will look into the possibility of the plan that could see volunteers clearing snow instead of council workers. The system has been used in areas such as Devon and Cornwall.