MOTORIST CHANGES STREET NAME OF HIS POTHOLE PLAGUED ROAD AT NIGHT
A mystery campaigner has altered signs in a road pockmarked with huge potholes to try and humiliate the authorities into doing something about the problem.
The resident struck in the dead of night by altering the road sign for Patch Hall Lane to read 'Patch The Holes Lane'.
The street in Chelmsford, Essex, has been infuriating locals for over a year, with some holes more than 2ft across and six inches deep.
The unorthodox approach to highlighting the issue struck a chord with residents, who said they are fed up with having to weave through the assault course on a daily basis.
Taxi driver Juber Nayeem, 24, who uses the route to take a child and their carer to a school, said: 'Great. I fully support the name change. Now maybe the council will be forced to fix the road.
'Cars are constantly swerving to avoid the holes and if action isn't taken right now, I fear there'll be an accident.'
A mother-of-two, who gave her name as Vanessa, fears using the street either as a pedestrian or a motorist in case she injures herself or damages her car.
She said: 'It's so dangerous I hate crossing the road. When I drive along here, I'm always looking out for the potholes in case I damage my car.
'Patch The Hole Lane is a good name for a poorly maintained road.'
Another local, called Saravanam, 38, complained: 'It's a real problem. I moved here just over a year ago and had no idea about the awful noise of cars continuously hitting the pothole outside my house, day and night.
'I think it's brilliant that someone has changed the sign and brought it to the attention of highways bosses.'
Indrani, 40, who lives on the road, added: 'I have a child at the school and I worry when she walks to class that cars trying to avoid potholes could swerve and hit her. It's just a matter of time until there's a serious accident.
'It shouldn't have taken someone altering the sign to highlight the need for immediate action.'
Another homeowner said: 'The new road sign made me smile but there's a serious need for action.
'Many drivers coming from nearby streets have suffered damage to their cars from the potholes.'
The busy route – which is part of a network of 5,000 miles of roads maintained by Essex County Council - serves two schools and is used as a shortcut by residents at nearby housing estates.
Heavy lorries regularly thunder down it too, adding to the damage on the road.
Exasperated Chelmsford City Council leader, Lib Dem Stephen Robinson, said: 'It's a shame it takes a gimmick like this to highlight an important issue like road defects that clearly needs fixing.'
Earlier this month a resident in another Essex community, Great Easton, put up a homemade wooden sign warning 'Caution pothole' after spotting a motorcyclist almost lost control when they hit one of a series of craters in the Tarmac.
Essex County Council has been criticised for the state of its roads, despite an additional £12 million being allocated to maintenance on top of the £39 million budgeted for 2024-2025.
This is well below the estimated £85.4 million needed annually to tackle the problem, however.
In the year to September 2023, the council received 2,389 claims for damage to vehicles causes by poorly maintained roads – up from 1,335 in the previous 12 months.
Crews carried out repairs to 708 potholes between February and March – 408 on main roads and 300 on local routes.
A spokesman for Essex Highways said Patching Hall Lane was due to be resurfaced in September.
They added: 'We do ask members of the public not to amend signage as it can mislead residents and cause confusion.'
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