REDBRIDGE: Cold snap causes more pothole misery (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

REDBRIDGE: Cold snap causes more pothole misery

7:02pm Monday 8th February 2010 in

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DRIVERS in Redbridge are facing more pothole misery after the cold snap added to the council's £71 million backlog of road repairs.

The wintry weather in January caused more cracks and pits to appear in the borough's streets, with freezing conditions this week expected to cause further damage - leaving hard-pressed motorists facing spiralling repair bills.

Redbridge Council had to spend 37 per cent more on urgent road repairs last month than in the same period last year - and faces a difficult task to stay on top of the problem after it missed out on a cut of the Government's £1.2 billion Private Finance Initiative (PFI) for local authorities two years ago.

As the Guardian reported at the time the decision means that some Redbridge streets could face a 150-year wait for resurfacing at the current rate of work.

Taxi-driver Adam Jay, of Murtwell Drive, Chigwell, said roads across London are in the worst state he has seen in 18 years as a cabbie, and identified one Redbridge pothole - pictured by the Guardian in March 2008 - that is still waiting to be fixed two years on.

The 41-year-old said: "The roads are in a really bad state at the moment, right across the board, including Redbridge.

"It does alot of damage to your car.

"I recently had to replace the two shock absorbers at the back of the cab. That was £100 for the pair.

"The bad weather had played a part, but you expect the roads to be kept in a decent state given the amount you pay in road tax.

"That pothole (in Yeomen Way, Barkingside) is still there two years later."

Councillor Michelle Dunn, cabinet member for Environment and Highways, said the council simply had too little cash to eat into the huge repair backlog, but assured residents that the most serious damage would be quickly dealt with.

She said: "We are playing catch up at the moment.

"We need to put in £16 million a year for repairs but because of budgetary constraints we can't put in anywhere near that amount.

"This is (an example of) the pressure we are facing on the budget.

"The PFI money was like a lifeline for us, but we didn't get it.

"If I had my way we would resurface all our roads, but I can't see us being handed £71million any time soon.

"We have a duty of care in maintaining the roads and we will ensure they are kept in a safe condition for drivers."

Cllr Dunn said a report is due to be prepared on the state of Redbridge's roads - which will go before cabinet for consideration - and that she would alert officers to the pothole in Yeomen Way.

If you are concerned about potholes in Redbridge please call Sam Adams at the Guardian on: 07970 589 268.