Workers suffering on Britain’s most potholed streets welcome Chancellor’s £420million repair pledge
Workers who travel down Ashley Crescent in Southampton can rejoice as the road should now get fixed thanks to the Chancellor's generous Budget
WORKERS who suffer on Britain’s most potholed streets welcomed the Chancellor’s promise to spend £420million on repairs.
Ashley Crescent in Southampton is just 300 yards long but is riddled with an astonishing 50 holes — with the biggest a staggering 20ft wide.
No one lives there but drivers risk damaging their cars to visit businesses on the street.
Vehicle damage assessor Craig Humphreys, 30, who works for AD Williams, insisted it was about time the Government did something about our roads.
Craig, from Southampton, said: “The state of this road is ridiculous, especially for us and our business as customers have to drive here to get to us.
“It’s easily got to be one of the worst roads in Britain. It’s like something from a Third World country, it’s actually unbelievable how bad it is.
The £420million will be released for councils immediately to spend before the tax year ends in April.
Craig continued: “When we get cars with broken suspension or flat tyres, sometimes caused by potholes, you don’t want to drive it down a road with more potholes.
“It’s bad for business, and it’s about time something was done about it. Hopefully, we might actually see some of Mr Hammond’s money invested here.
“The council filled a few holes about a year ago but they just get destroyed again. They need to do the whole road.
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“It’s about time money was invested in our roads — not just this one but all of them. It’s a disgrace. It’s a pain when they have to fix them, but after it’s done it makes so much difference. I had to make a claim against the council because of damage caused to my car by a pothole in Southampton.
“Surely repairing the roads would save the council and local government money in the long run.”Darren Lewitt, who was pictured sitting in a massive water-filled hole near his home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, says: “It’s all very well spending hundreds of millions on repairing potholes but many are bodged and councils never check their work.”
Campaigner Mark Morrell — dubbed Mr Pothole — said: “The Chancellor’s money will not solve the problem. Britain has too many potholes to fix.”