Fed-up locals say living in UK's pothole capital is like 'driving over the Moon'
Fed-up locals living in the UK's pothole capital say the crumbling roads are so bad it’s like “driving on the moon”.
Last year alone, Hereford reported 25,000 potholes, meaning it had more potholes than any other area in the country. Data from FixMyStreet found there was one pothole reported for every 127th resident in Hereford.
Herefordshire Council was also found to be struggling to keep up with demand with figures showing just half of reported potholes were being filled in. Frustrated residents say the pavements are “falling apart” with some adding they are too scared to venture out after dark in case they trip over.
Great-gran Jenni Gough, 76, says the state of the roads outside her home in Andrews Close is “appalling”. The retired PA said: “I have lived here for 25 years and I’ve never known the roads and pavements to be so bad. There are about three potholes at the end of our road which have been there for three years and they just get bigger and bigger.
"About six months ago the council filled them in but already they are sinking and it won’t be long until they are back to what they were. A friend of mine was cycling on a main road and didn’t see a pothole because it had been raining and it the road looked flat.
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"They went over their handlebars and landed in the middle of the road. Luckily the cars stopped in time but it could have been a disaster.”
Jenni Gough, 76, says the state of the roads outside her home in Andrews Close is “appalling” (SWNS)
Tyre-fitter Jake Bow, 29, is called out at least three times a day for pothole damages (SWNS)Jenni also blasted Herefordshire Council for wasting money on "pointless" road markings while failing to tackle the pothole epidemic.
She said: "A few months ago and for some unknown reason, the council painted yellow lines on a roundabout. A few weeks later workmen came out and covered them up. If they've got money to waste on pointless yellow lines then they should spend more on repairing the roads properly."
Tyre-fitter Jake Bow, 29, says he is called out at least three times a day to rescue drivers who have damaged their cars on potholes. He said: "It's just getting ridiculous at the moment. We're called out at least three times a day to help people who's tyres have burst or cars damaged. The people who we help are just driving on normal roads in the city but theses giant potholes are everywhere. We have a lot of people who limp to us with flat tyres who we are helping too. The council are doing nothing to help."
Jake also suffered a burst tyre in his own Mini when he went over a pothole last Sunday, January 28. He said: "I was going quite slowly but hit this large pothole in the road and my front driver's side tyre just went bang. I took a few pictures of the damage and the pothole before I made a claim to the council because I've heard stories of people claiming for compensation from the council only for the council to rush out and quickly fill in the hole.
"It's like whack-a-mole but the council need to get a grip on the situation. It's getting to the point where it's almost not worth the risk of driving into Hereford." Part-time nurse Anne Doverman, 60, says her house on St Guthlac Street has even been damaged by cars driving through potholes.
Some residents said they were too scared to venture out after dark in case they tripped over (SWNS)The mum-of-two said: "We get a lot of traffic on the road and when the potholes are full of water we get dirty splashes all up our front door. We've also had a cracked window after a car went over a pothole and it kicked up a load of loose gravel and stones.
"We always report the potholes and the council come out and fill them in but it makes no difference. A few months later they're back and bigger than ever. It's a really terrible situation and Hereford is well deserving in it's title as England's pothole capital. It's not just the roads which have been neglected, with many pavements also falling to bits.
Another resident said: "I don't drive but I walk everywhere and even that is dangerous. Sometimes I feel like my short trip to the shops is like walking across the surface of the moon. There are literally craters everywhere you look. I don't walk anywhere after dark in case I trip over and fall flat on my face." Another local said: "The street lighting isn't very good, you can't see them, you hit them potholes, come off your bike, it's terrible."
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