A quiet street in a Dorset seaside resort may be Britain’s worst for potholes after 21 craters were found over a 220-yard stretch.
The uneven section of suburban Petersfield Road in Bournemouth is ‘falling apart’ – with one pothole every 10 yards on average.
It has been labelled a safety hazard for cyclists and motorists, with road users swerving at the last minute to avoid them. Some drivers even mount the pavements to stop the potholes damaging their vehicles in an area with four schools, making it dangerous for pedestrians.
The Asphalt Industry Alliance revealed the cost of Britain’s pothole backlog has reached £14billion in the last year – an increase of nearly £1.5million from the year before. And campaigner Mark Morrell – known as Mr Pothole – said that the crisis ‘shames our country’.
More than a fifth of roads in London, the Midlands and the North East are classified as having a ‘poor’ structural condition and it is estimated that it would take 11 years for local authorities to fix them.
Resident Alexandra Stevens, 61, said she fears ‘going over her handlebars’ every time she cycles on the road.
Petersfield Road in Bournemouth has been labelled a safety hazard for cyclists and motorists, with road users swerving at the last minute to avoid them
Some drivers even mount the pavements to stop the potholes damaging their vehicles making the area with four schools dangerous for pedestrians. And new potholes keep appearing – with a particularly big one seeming to be created very suddenly at the end of the road
Alexandra Stevens (pictured) said she fears ‘going over her handlebars’ every time she cycles on the road
This map shows the location of Petersfield Road
The retired primary school teacher said: ‘I use this road often if I’m going into town or into church and it’s quite a poor road.
‘I’m quite surprised at how quickly it has deteriorated. They have got worse in the last couple of months.
‘I cycle along the road and there are potholes every 10 metres, which is not right.
‘The whole stretch of road is just falling apart and crumbling away.
‘We’re not halfway up a mountain. This is a residential area with schools.
‘Some are half a metre long and wide and deep enough for beer cans to roll in.
‘If this is not Britain’s worst road, then it is definitely in the running.’
Ms Stevens says that because the road is so narrow and has a chicane, if you hit a pothole there is nowhere for you to take evasive action.
And new potholes keep appearing – with a particularly big one seeming to be created very suddenly at the end of the road.
The uneven section of Petersfield Road in Bournemouth
Ms Stevens says that because the road is so narrow and has a chicane, if you hit a pothole there is nowhere for you to take evasive action
The Asphalt Industry Alliance revealed the cost of Britain’s pothole backlog has reached £14billion in the last year – an increase of nearly £1.5million from the year before. And campaigner Mark Morrell – known as Mr Pothole – said that the crisis ‘shames our country’
She continued: ‘I try not to be put off from cycling down there, but I do think it is dangerous because if you have another car coming down the opposite direction it has to keep on the left hand side.
‘This is not always possible to do safely as there are so many potholes you will end up going over your handlebars.’
Other residents of Petersfield Road slammed their local authority, BCP Council, for not fixing the road.
Kelly Govier said: ‘The council should just resurface the road. This road isn’t that wide and it isn’t suitable for two cars to drive down on opposite sides and it should be a one way.
BCP Council said they will be doing a safety inspection of the road in the coming weeks
Other residents of Petersfield Road slammed their local authority, BCP Council, for not fixing the road
‘There are also four schools around here and cars are having to go up on the pavement to avoid the potholes – which is dangerous for pedestrians.
‘We’ve all written to the council asking them to repave the road but nothing has happened.’
BCP Council said they will be doing a safety inspection of the road in the coming weeks.
A spokesperson said: ‘The next safety inspection on Petersfield Road is due in the next few weeks as part of our Highway Safety Inspection programme.
‘In the meantime, residents who are concerned about potholes can report them online on our website.’
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