'Driving around Skegness is like driving on the surface of the moon'

Driving around Skegness is like driving on the surface of the moon - according to residents who say they are tired of damaging their cars..
The total spend on potholes in the East Midlands is 118,877,381.The total spend on potholes in the East Midlands is 118,877,381.
The total spend on potholes in the East Midlands is 118,877,381.

The Standard asked for examples of roads needing attention on National Pothole Day - and out request reached thousands of readers.

In May last year, Lincolnshire County Council admitted it would need hundreds of millions of pounds to fix the problem.

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Although £12m had been injected into the highways budget this year, Coun Colin Davie said it was nowhere near what was needed to bring roads up to the standard we'd like.

A pothole in Everington's Lane, Skegness.A pothole in Everington's Lane, Skegness.
A pothole in Everington's Lane, Skegness.

"We will continue to push the Government for fairer funding for Lincolnshire," he said. "If councils here received the average funding for council areas in England, the region would benefit from £116 million of extra funding for services every year – some of which could be used towards highways repairs. That would make a massive difference."

On Thursday. the Federation of Small Businesses is called on local authorities in Lincolnshire to use National Pothole Day to start getting to grips with the region’s broken roads.

The call came just days after county authorities revealed a proposed 3.5% council tax increase, some of which has been provisionally ringfenced for road improvements.

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The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has already revealed through Freedom of Information requests that local authorities in the East Midlands receive a complaint to fix a pothole every eight minutes.

Country roads around Skegness are especially bad - according to readers.Country roads around Skegness are especially bad - according to readers.
Country roads around Skegness are especially bad - according to readers.

In total, just under £119m has been spent fixing damaged roads and holes in the region over 2018/19 – £1.5m more when compared to the previous year.

More than £326,000 has been paid out in compensation to claimants in the region that had their vehicles damaged last year. The figures revealed that just 35% of claims for vehicle damage were successful across the East Midlands, with the average pay out per claim equating to £237.

Michael Weedon, FSB Policy Representative in the East Midlands, said: “I am urging local authorities to use National Pothole Day as a starter to fixing up our roads with potholes a major concern for small businesses in the East Midlands.

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“Poorly looked-after roads peppered with holes and cracks not only hamper their ability to do business, but lead to damaged vehicles, which are often vital assets to small firms often working without large capital reserves.

“These figures show just how widespread the issue is and how important National Pothole Day is as an initiative. It’s clear that governments, both national and in the East Midlands, need to sit up and take notice. Measures like more funding for local authorities and improving the coordination between authorities and utility companies, will go some way in helping ease the burden of this ever-growing issue.”

RESIDENTS REVEAL SOME OF THE WORSE ROADS

The Standard asked readers where the worse potholes are in the area and here are some of the comments.

Rob Twiggy Weston: William Way, Skegness, potholes everywhere. Been like it 5+ years. Opposite Richmond school. Fed up of replacing my tyres from it

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Denise Crossley: Beacon Park Drive. No 2 bus route a complete disgrace. I needed two tyres in less than three months .All roads are a disgrace. Outside Sandbeck nursing home on Sandbeck Avenue . The left side of the road going down to Tesco. An accident is about to happen!

Sharon Hughes-Lycett; Large holes on Everington's Lane towards the Charnwood - about 3ft x 1ft!!!

Jo Newell: The whole of A52 at Huttoft. Even the road inspector said it was the worst road surface he’d seen

Adrian Hayes: Church Lane,heading to Skegness has got two neck breakers..

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Rosalind Stewart Clark: Lumley Avenue around church and towards Castleton Boulavard

Eileen Dowman: Old Market Avenue, Spilsby - potholes were mended once but the tarmac came out again so even worse now.

Sarah Wilkinson: Loads down Queens Road, Skegness

Report a pothole to Lincolnshire County Council by visiting www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/potholes