Pot hole situation worst ever.

tomstickland

I don't recall the number and depth of pot holes being as bad as they now. It makes me wonder whether there has been a lack of maintenance over the last 10 years and it's now caught up with us.

I appreciate that snow and ice worsen pot holes, but if the surface is in sound condition to start with then this effect is a lot smaller.

kriss_boy

People dont appreciate the scale and volume of traffic on the roads these days.

A big 16 tonne lorry does the equivalent damage to a road that 10,000 cars would have otherwise done. Roads these days are therefore of a flexible construction- subbase, base, binder and wearing courses. The top two courses of which you commonly see being planed off and relayed.

Imagine wet, snowy, sub zero temperatures prolonged for 3 or 4 weeks... and then you'll appreciate why the roads are currently in the state they are in. Its nothing to do with your local council failing to maintain them.

I reckon under road heating is the key... and er... Im not joking! Id like someone to study the cost of implementing a system whereby perhaps only at the junctions of main roads etc we could lay heated pipes. Perhaps geothermal or solar.

It sounds expensive but then again how expensive is throwing salt on a road everyday for 3 months of the year?

MrSmartprice

tomstickland wrote: »

I don't recall the number and depth of pot holes being as bad as they now. It makes me wonder whether there has been a lack of maintenance over the last 10 years and it's now caught up with us.

I appreciate that snow and ice worsen pot holes, but if the surface is in sound condition to start with then this effect is a lot smaller.

You are absolutely correct, apart from the fact that the neglect of the roads has been for more like 30 years. It's all down to short-term money saving which has failed miserably.

When I left school my first job was in the office at the local council's Highways Department depot for a year. There were several people who inspected roads on a daily basis and ensured that the surfaces were not cracked or broken. Problems were dealt with quickly as they knew prevention was better than cure.

Since councils have cut back on 'proper' services and taken to wasting money on nonsense, this happens far less. Roads are not properly maintained so they become cracked and broken up. Consequently the surface ceases to be watertight. As water seeps in, it expands on freezing and the road disintegrates from underneath. That's why the situation has become so bad since the freeze.

Councils say they spend plenty on pothole repairs. But this does not solve the problem. Only regular maintenance, coupled with proper retreading of worn-out roads, will do so. Many councils also figure it's cheaper not to bother and pay out compensation claims.

tomstickland

People do realise that the volume of traffic is high. But that should generate masses of tax.

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/gloucestershireheadlines/SAY-Pothole-hotspots-Gloucestershire/article-1738356-detail/article.html

Its nothing to do with your local council failing to maintain them.

I think it is. The bad weather was blamed last year, but the roads were already in a state before that.

Mithos

I agree this is the worst I've ever seen them. Cars driving insanely to try and avoid them too. Massive, both in depth and width and sheer numbers.

Do understand the council have a LOT of work to do, but the process is taking to long, not one hole on my regular road journeys have been addressed since they started forming.

kriss_boy

MrSmartprice wrote: »

You are absolutely correct, apart from the fact that the neglect of the roads has been for more like 30 years. It's all down to short-term money saving which has failed miserably.

When I left school my first job was in the office at the local council's Highways Department depot for a year. There were several people who inspected roads on a daily basis and ensured that the surfaces were not cracked or broken. Problems were dealt with quickly as they knew prevention was better than cure.

Since councils have cut back on 'proper' services and taken to wasting money on nonsense, this happens far less. Roads are not properly maintained so they become cracked and broken up. Consequently the surface ceases to be watertight. As water seeps in, it expands on freezing and the road disintegrates from underneath. That's why the situation has become so bad since the freeze.

Councils say they spend plenty on pothole repairs. But this does not solve the problem. Only regular maintenance, coupled with proper retreading of worn-out roads, will do so. Many councils also figure it's cheaper not to bother and pay out compensation claims.

I dont agree with any of that...

The volume of cars on the roads has more than doubled in the last 30 years for starters. Our inspectors still inspect the roads on a daily basis and repairs are issued and completed promptly.

I can only speak for my local council in Scotland but the suggestion that paying out claims for repairs to cars as an alternative to filling pot holes is laughable. We are very, very rarely liable for claims regarding damage to cars from potholes because our duty under the roads scotland act is to periodically inspect roads and repair potholes outwith a reasonably practicable depth.

If you drive past a dangerous pothole every morning on the way to work pick up the phone and report it.

Jeez the amount of times I spot people reporting faults on silly internet websites like fixmystreet.com rather than emailnig their local council directly.

kriss_boy

Mithos wrote: »

I agree this is the worst I've ever seen them. Cars driving insanely to try and avoid them too. Massive, both in depth and width and sheer numbers.

Do understand the council have a LOT of work to do, but the process is taking to long, not one hole on my regular road journeys have been addressed since they started forming.

Unfortunately you cant just have two guys in a van pull up and throw some asphalt in the hole. Perhaps the ones you are refering to are on traffic sensitive routes that require your local council to give 30 days notice to book a slot on the road.

Theres a couple of beauties on the main road I travel along to work, but surely most drivers are alert enough to spot them and navigate around them.

Pew_Pew_Pew_Lasers!

kriss_boy wrote: »

Its nothing to do with your local council failing to maintain them.

:rotfl::rotfl:

flyingscotno1

kriss_boy wrote: »

I reckon under road heating is the key... and er... Im not joking! Id like someone to study the cost of implementing a system whereby perhaps only at the junctions of main roads etc we could lay heated pipes. Perhaps geothermal or solar.

It sounds expensive but then again how expensive is throwing salt on a road everyday for 3 months of the year?

Been done- far too expensive. You wouldn't believe how much undersoil heating at football costs never mind roads. The M8 Kingston Bridge in Glasgow was AFAIK electrically heated, but it was very expensive- indeed in the 1970s the power company and the authorities disputed it.

The shear number of HGVs will cause increase in damage- but I agree- too often people moan but never spend 2minutes firing off an e-mail to the council.

newfoundglory

kriss_boy wrote: »

I reckon under road heating is the key... and er... Im not joking!

When i think of road heating, I think of the summer 30+ degrees when the roads start to melt and go soft.

Winter - roads crack and collapse.

Summer - roads melt and go soft.

What the hell is going on?

exup

most of the roads around my area that are being resurfaced didnt need it that badly in the first place - and there are other roads that need completely ripping apart and doing again.
It seems that the easy option is scraping the top - spraying it with tar then chucking blue gravel on it and leave it for the traffic to press in. In a few months the surface starts to wear again so they do this quick fix again - it seems more like easy jobs for the boys so they can aquire their annual budget rather than doing the jobs that really need doing.
Called local authorities about a main road through my town - and received a letter back agreeing with me and the road would be scheduled for major repair in April . . 2009 ! ! Although further survey work would be carried out and if the situation worsened then it could be moved up in priority.
So 2010 and theres no sign of anything happening or anytning going to happen - The road is so bad in places its not safe to drive on the correct side of the road in a car - let alone on a motorcycle.