Roads

[dynamod]

Why is it we have the worst roads in the world nowadays?? No wonder I'm seeing more of these monster jeeps everywhere. Believe this or not, but my local council are now dishing out for compensation claims on damaged vehicles from crashing into these potholes!!

Use the money to fix the ****ing roads why don't you??

{Deep Breath}

[BillyGoat]

Why is it we have the worst roads in the world nowadays?? No wonder I'm seeing more of these monster jeeps everywhere. Believe this or not, but my local council are now dishing out for compensation claims on damaged vehicles from crashing into these potholes!!

Use the money to fix the ****ing roads why don't you??

{Deep Breath}

You want to try driving in Poland!!!!!!!!

You could be driving along one of the new roads, Scruff could play snooker on it it's that smooth then all of a sudden BAM, new road ends and you are on some curved "road" that you run the risk of falling off the edge that's so bumpy it's like driving on a McDonalds teenager employees face!!!!!!!

BG

[kellys_eye]

Councils bl00dy well SHOULD pay out for damage to vehicles. We pay them enough money to maintain OUR roads in a useable condition - if they fail to do so and we damage our vehicles then they are liable.

When councils start spending OUR money where WE want it to be spent and not where THEY tell us they are going to spend it (diversity managers, climate change officers etc) then we might see a semblance of real democracy starting to emerge.

In fact, far TOO FEW people complain. If more people DID then we could actually see something happen.

[northwales4u]

The biggest thing that annoys me about the state of the roads is that the council will resurface a road then, guaranteed, a utility company will come along within a couple of weeks and dig a big trench down the middle then the join will become the weak point. Why can't the utility companies and the council talk to each other so they can co-ordinate all the works the utility companies need to carry out before the council resurfaces the road?

[joinerjohn]

+1 NW4U. Our council relaid a road surface near me a few years ago. Proper job with the old surface taken up and new tarmac laid. (not the melt it and put chippings on stuff) Anyway, within 6 weeks, Severn Trent dug a 3ft trench down one side of the road, put a new water mains in, then tarmacked over the trench (very badly too) A few weeks after that the Gas Board dug a trench on the other side of the road. (ditto to Severn Trent's finishing)
I can't understand why the water companies, gas and Electric companies , can't communicate with each other and the councils about repairs.
Better still, why don't we adopt the American way of doing things? Services under the pavements instead of the roads? (or would that be too easy?)

[kintangoman]

eerrrm joiner, you are missing the point here

the government have instructed all the various ''parties'' that they must continue to create employment so as to keep the economy afloat.
Now, if they all team together and do the work, that will mean the road only has to be dug up once. How will that help with employment considering there are so many out there with no work?

If the road is dug up four to six times a year, that creates employment and utility companies like gas, leccy, phones, etc can claim a rebate from the government for spending X amount of money to create jobs. As for the Councils, they can put up council tax and also ask the Central Government for more money as they can show that they ''overspent'' in the previous year

[joinerjohn]

By heck Kintango, you've hit the nail firmly on the head there son. Never thought of it that way.
So what your saying is, we should be grateful to these companies that dig up the roads and make sub standard repairs, as they are creating jobs not only from the roadworks, but for garages up and down the country as well ?

Tomorrow on my way to work, I'm gonna make damn sure I hit every pothole, so my local garage can afford to go to Skegness for their holidays.

[kintangoman]

you might want your local garage staff to accompany you and that tomasplumbahs to that pub you go to in Wigan Hope you and the missus enjoyed your time there though? I heard tomas didn't bother turning up

Yes jj, the whole chirade is a scheme to crete jobs and reduce the social security bill. The various companies get a tax rebate or pay less tax as they help reduce the treasury purse for paying those who would otherwise be out of work, SEE

[joinerjohn]

Cheers Kintango. Tomp couldn't turn up for personal reasons, but I'm sure another trip Northward beckons in the nears future. (hopefully avoiding potholes on the M6) You'd love it up there in Wiganland. Beer is exceptionally cheap in the pubs (compared to here in Derby) Our local club can't even match the prices up there. (and they can buy cheaper than most pubs )
I wish that the government would create a scheme to bring cheap beer, in the pubs to the masses. Instead of closing pubs (quite often hubs of the local community) they'd actually encourage the opposite and open some of the lost pubs back up. (no doubt filled with roadworkers and roller drivers on a Friday night celebrating payday).
Anyway, whatever HM government do,,,, I'm sure it's in the best interests of all MP's.

[Joelc]

I've considered putting claim in. My missus' car is a pretty old T reg, it's her first car as she's only been driving a year so cheap to run / insure / tax. However I've so far has to replace a hub, two ball joints, track rods and suspension arms, and an exhaust.

Some I can put down to general age of the car, but some of the potholes are definitely to blame, and even some of the repairs are less than comprihensive.

Why it's so difficult to fix with decent repairs I have no idea.

[kellys_eye]

As I understand it the pothole has to have been reported to the Council - then the council are allowed a certain amount of time to fix it. If after that time lapse the pothole still hasn't been fixed and you hit it again you can THEN claim for a repair. So, if you feel strongly about potholes you MUST report them as soon as you see them. Relying on the fact that someone else has reported it is a hit'n'miss affair.

I could be talking bolloxs though (see disclaimer in signature )