Cyclists and bikers say they are scared to go out on North Devon’s ‘shockingly bad’ because of potholes. North Devon Council backed a motion at their full council meeting on February 22, calling for North Devon’s MP Selaine Saxby to raise the lack of funds for road maintenance with government ministers and that the council supports Devon County in any campaign they undertake to persuade central government for more road funding to repair and resurface roads more regularly.

At the meeting, Councillor Frederick Tucket (Marwood, Liberal Democrats) put forward a motion which stated: “The potholes this winter have increased significantly in number in North Devon and are becoming dangerous and causing a lot of damage to vehicles. It was reported on BBC Spotlight that up until January 20, 4,156 potholes were recorded in the Devon County Council area, compared with 3,494 in January 2022. That’s just the ones the public has reported, and our roads are getting into a real state in many areas.

“The Department for Transport claims that, on average, about £1bn is being spent each year nationally on road maintenance. This is nowhere near enough to meet the challenges faced in our area. Devon alone could spend the annual amount this year.”

At the meeting, Cllr Tucker added: “This is a very serious problem that we have here in North Devon. A few recent issues on our road have come to my attention since drafting this motion. I certainly don’t want to miss this opportunity of making my feelings known on this subject. I would like us in North Devon to make representation on the highway authority at Devon County Council to start repairing our roads and bring them up to a satisfactory level. They are at present in a serious and dangerous state.

“Last week, as a passenger, the driver apologised for driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid potholes and craters to stop trashing his car. I drove myself to Tiverton Parkway last week, and near Rackenford, there are some serious potholes. Drivers in front of me were swerving to avoid them. We’re going to have a severe accident.

“A member of the cycling group has said to me recently that it is very difficult to find a safe road in North Devon to cycle on. Our green agenda is to leave the cars at home and ride bikes. It is very serious when cycling groups don’t go out now as there aren’t many safe roads to cycle on.

“If this notice of motion is agreed, I would like a letter of representation and complaint sent to the chief executive of Devon County Council, the leader John Hart, and Councillor Stuart Hughes, portfolio holder and lead member for Devon County Highways.

“I think a letter should also go to the MP to lobby the minister to put pressure on Devon County Council to start work with the repairs on our roads in North Devon as soon as possible and give us a fair slice of the funding Devon County Council receive for highway repairs.”

He added: “My wife, I, and 20 other people had a four-day break in Sidmouth two weeks ago. It was very noticeable from everyone on that little trip that the roads in and around Sidmouth were in good repair, and I never saw a serious pothole. When I came home, I checked the Devon County Council website to see who the county councillor for Sidmouth was, and yes, it was portfolio holder Stuart Hughes, in charge of Devon County highway repairs, who also lives in Sidmouth. What a coincidence.”

Councillor Paul Henderson (South Molton, Non-Aligned) said it would cost Devon County £ 167 million every year to get Devon’s road to an amber state. He added: “We’re going to write to Devon County Council that the budget they get in goes on three areas; adult care, childcare, and looking after the disadvantaged, which only leaves them 20 per cent. Realising this, I’ve been encouraging my parishes in the county to write to the MP and lobby for more funding for Devon County Council. Devon County doesn’t have the money to do the repairs.

“I agree with Cllr Tucker about going to Sidmouth because it doesn’t damage my car. There is a reality there, and we had a letter from the MP when South Molton Town Council wrote about the state of the roads and to lobby for more money, and the reply that came back led me to become an independent. I wasn’t happy with the response saying that Devon County Council needed to manage its budgets better, and they had plenty of money to do it. That, to me, is unacceptable.

“I drive a car that’s ten years old and a motorcycle that’s thirty years old. They both have to have an MOT. Last year we all paid a fuel duty of £ 24 billion. Who is doing an MOT on the roads? They are in a terrible state at the moment. I lost two wheels on my car, it cost me £1,000 before Christmas, and I cannot ride my motorcycle in the wet or dark as I do not trust the road surface. We need to put immense pressure to get our MP to lobby Westminster to try and get some additional funding.”

Councillor Matthew Bushell (South Molton, Liberal Democrats) suggested it was a ‘managed and intended degradation of the roads by Devon County Council. He said: “Cllr Tucker is quite right, they’ve been looking after South Devon, intentionally damaging our cars, and if we start to look at the statistics, equalities, and quality of roads are linked to where there are good roads, where there is a stronger economy, and it’s not vice-versa.

“North Devon’s economy needs us to repair these roads and Devon County Council, at the next elections, I hope people see what they have been doing year after year, as I don’t think they’ve been doing the right thing.”

Councillor Caroline Leaver (Newport, Liberal Democrats) agreed, saying there was no doubt that North Devon’s roads were ‘shockingly bad’ and getting worse. She said: “I was talking to a delivery driver who one evening went down a pothole, needed a new wheel, and it wiped out most of their income for that week. An intensive care nurse had to take two weeks off work after hitting a pothole. This is the reality of what people in this community are living with.

“If you think about the highways authority at Devon County, the reality is the expenditure that takes place will be reduced in real terms as time goes by. Devon County approved the budget, which included real terms cut to that budget. The Lib Dems put forward a motion calling for more money to be put into that, taking it out of the corporate department, including the communications department and others. Roads are falling to pieces, and it dates back to when depths of road surfaces were changed and reduction in the amount of maintenance for drains.”

Councillor Jeremy Yabsley (Witheridge, Conservative) added: “It has been an issue in all the towns I have been involved with the county council. I remember challenging the Liberal Democrat leader of the country council on the same issue a few years ago. We have not had a £ 25 million pothole fund for two years, and it has made such a difference to what we can do with the roads. It was a grant given on top, which has now been taken away.”

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/cyclists-afraid-ride-devons-shockingly-8225612

On 11/03/2023 02:48 pm, swldx...@gmail.com wrote:

> Fairy-cyclists and bikers say they are scared to go out on North Devon’s ‘shockingly bad’ because of potholes. North Devon Council backed a motion at their full council meeting on February 22, calling for North Devon’s MP Selaine Saxby to raise the lack of funds for road maintenance with government ministers and that the council supports Devon County in any campaign they undertake to persuade central government for more road funding to repair and resurface roads more regularly.
>
> At the meeting, Councillor Frederick Tucket (Marwood, Liberal Democrats) put forward a motion which stated: “The potholes this winter have increased significantly in number in North Devon and are becoming dangerous and causing a lot of damage to vehicles. It was reported on BBC Spotlight that up until January 20, 4,156 potholes were recorded in the Devon County Council area, compared with 3,494 in January 2022. That’s just the ones the public has reported, and our roads are getting into a real state in many areas.
>
> “The Department for Transport claims that, on average, about £1bn is being spent each year nationally on road maintenance. This is nowhere near enough to meet the challenges faced in our area. Devon alone could spend the annual amount this year.”
>
> At the meeting, Cllr Tucker added: “This is a very serious problem that we have here in North Devon. A few recent issues on our road have come to my attention since drafting this motion. I certainly don’t want to miss this opportunity of making my feelings known on this subject. I would like us in North Devon to make representation on the highway authority at Devon County Council to start repairing our roads and bring them up to a satisfactory level. They are at present in a serious and dangerous state.
>
> “Last week, as a passenger, the driver apologised for driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid potholes and craters to stop trashing his car.

A perfectly valid technique and certainly nothing to apologise for,
whether to a passenger or anyone else (as long as the normal decencies
towards other road-users are observed).

> I drove myself to Tiverton Parkway last week, and near Rackenford, there are some serious potholes. Drivers in front of me were swerving to avoid them. We’re going to have a severe accident.
>
> “A member of the fairy-cycling group has said to me recently that it is very difficult to find a safe road in North Devon to cycle on. Our green agenda is to leave the cars at home and ride fairy-bikes.

"Our green agenda is to leave the cars at home and ride fairy-bikes"?

Do leave it out. It isn't going to happen.

> It is very serious when fairy-cycling groups don’t go out now as there aren’t many safe roads to fairy-cycle on.

In what way is that "serious"?

"Serious" to whom (of any importance)?
>
> “If this notice of motion is agreed, I would like a letter of representation and complaint sent to the chief executive of Devon County Council, the leader John Hart, and Councillor Stuart Hughes, portfolio holder and lead member for Devon County Highways.

Name dropper. What household names they are, eh?

> “I think a letter should also go to the MP to lobby the minister to put pressure on Devon County Council to start work with the repairs on our roads in North Devon as soon as possible and give us a fair slice of the funding Devon County Council receive for highway repairs.”

Why didn't we get the MP's name dropped?
>
> He added: “My wife, I, and 20 other people had a four-day break in Sidmouth two weeks ago. It was very noticeable from everyone on that little trip that the roads in and around Sidmouth were in good repair, and I never saw a serious pothole. When I came home, I checked the Devon County Council website to see who the county councillor for Sidmouth was, and yes, it was portfolio holder Stuart Hughes, in charge of Devon County highway repairs, who also lives in Sidmouth. What a coincidence.”
>
> Councillor Paul Henderson (South Molton, Non-Aligned) said it would cost Devon County £ 167 million every year to get Devon’s road to an amber state. He added: “We’re going to write to Devon County Council that the budget they get in goes on three areas; adult care, childcare, and looking after the disadvantaged, which only leaves them 20 per cent. Realising this, I’ve been encouraging my parishes in the county to write to the MP and lobby for more funding for Devon County Council. Devon County doesn’t have the money to do the repairs.
>
> “I agree with Cllr Tucker about going to Sidmouth because it doesn’t damage my car. There is a reality there, and we had a letter from the MP when South Molton Town Council wrote about the state of the roads and to lobby for more money, and the reply that came back led me to become an independent. I wasn’t happy with the response saying that Devon County Council needed to manage its budgets better, and they had plenty of money to do it. That, to me, is unacceptable.
>
> “I drive a car that’s ten years old and a motorcycle that’s thirty years old. They both have to have an MOT. Last year we all paid a fuel duty of £ 24 billion. Who is doing an MOT on the roads? They are in a terrible state at the moment. I lost two wheels on my car, it cost me £1,000 before Christmas, and I cannot ride my motorcycle in the wet or dark as I do not trust the road surface. We need to put immense pressure to get our MP to lobby Westminster to try and get some additional funding.”
>
> Councillor Matthew Bushell (South Molton, Liberal Democrats) suggested it was a ‘managed and intended degradation of the roads by Devon County Council. He said: “Cllr Tucker is quite right, they’ve been looking after South Devon, intentionally damaging our cars, and if we start to look at the statistics, equalities, and quality of roads are linked to where there are good roads, where there is a stronger economy, and it’s not vice-versa.

What is Devon County Council spending all its money *on*, then?

It's all a question of priorities. And tourism and access for tourists
ought to be virtually at the top of DCC's priority list.
>
> “North Devon’s economy needs us to repair these roads and Devon County Council, at the next elections, I hope people see what they have been doing year after year, as I don’t think they’ve been doing the right thing.”
>
> Councillor Caroline Leaver (Newport, Liberal Democrats) agreed, saying there was no doubt that North Devon’s roads were ‘shockingly bad’ and getting worse. She said: “I was talking to a delivery driver who one evening went down a pothole, needed a new wheel, and it wiped out most of their income for that week. An intensive care nurse had to take two weeks off work after hitting a pothole. This is the reality of what people in this community are living with.
>
> “If you think about the highways authority at Devon County, the reality is the expenditure that takes place will be reduced in real terms as time goes by. Devon County approved the budget, which included real terms cut to that budget. The Lib Dems put forward a motion calling for more money to be put into that, taking it out of the corporate department, including the communications department and others. Roads are falling to pieces, and it dates back to when depths of road surfaces were changed and reduction in the amount of maintenance for drains.”
>
> Councillor Jeremy Yabsley (Witheridge, Conservative) added: “It has been an issue in all the towns I have been involved with the county council. I remember challenging the Liberal Democrat leader of the country council on the same issue a few years ago. We have not had a £ 25 million pothole fund for two years, and it has made such a difference to what we can do with the roads. It was a grant given on top, which has now been taken away.”
>
> https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/cyclists-afraid-ride-devons-shockingly-8225612

Despite the thread title, there wasn't an awful lot about fairy-cyclists
after all, eh?

QUOTE: The Department for Transport claims that, on average, about £1bn is being spent each year nationally on road maintenance. This is nowhere near enough to meet the challenges faced in our area. ENDS

I thought "road tax" paid for all road repairs?