Potholes remain an issue on roads which reflect an increase in cyclist injuries
- Sep 1, 2015
- EmmaArnold
A national cycling charity has claimed the number of cyclist injuries due to crumbling roads and potholes is increasing.
Their figures suggest, in some areas, only 3 per cent of damaged roads were repaired and the majority (196 councils) repaired less than half, particularly in rural areas.
The charity, CTC, claims that councils are taking too long to mend potholes despite being alerted to the problem.
Over the next six years, councils are apparently being given £6 billion to maintain roads to ease the problem of potholes.
The cycling charity says how even a minor defect in the road could lead to serious injuries if hit at speed and so are more than just an inconvenience.
Hugh Potter, Partner at PotterReesDolan, said:
The Times article is spot on. In May last year a horrible pot hole in Moberly caused me to crash off my road bike. I broke my collar bone in 3 pieces and smashed my helmet. I needed to have an operation and was off work. I am suing the local authority. It would have been far better for me and cheaper for everyone if the road had been safe.
One cyclist was killed on a charity bike ride in 2011 when he rode over a pothole and was thrown into the path of a car.
The charity's website allows cyclists to log road problems and updates the site when councils have fixed the pothole or defect.