Pete Owens wrote:They can only fix potholes that they know exist. Their defence is that they inspect the road regularly and the pothole wasn't there last time they looked.
This is why it is important to report potholes via fillthathole. That way there is a public record - ideally with a photograph - that the council has been told about it.
I agree it's important to report by whatever means - Northampton Council (when I last tried) didn't have a facility to report directly - presumably because they received so many reports about their atrocious roads! The thing that really makes my blood boil is that the first defence the authorities use is "we didn't know it was there" yet they say their inspections are done and the law agrees with them - but how can that be when potholes escape their notice? One can only summise the inspections aren't frequent enough. Their seemingly arbitrary 40mm (or similar) depth is required before a pothole is dangerous is also questionable - To a bike rider (on a vehicle without suspension) this is often nearly twice the tyre profile! If you told car drivers (vehicles with suspension) that they would have to contend with 200mm potholes they would be horrified. Double standards from the Councils (as always) with their 'officials' used to travelling by limo