'It's like patching a leaking boat: the state of our roads' - your letters, plus a 1978 snapshot of pancake racing at a Walsall school

Readers write in on some of the issues making headlines, from the state of our roads and the challenges facing rural life, to debates over immigration and public discourse.

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By Tania Taylor

Published 4 hours ago

Last updated Just now

Supporting image for story: 'It's like patching a leaking boat: the state of our roads' - your letters, plus a 1978 snapshot of pancake racing at a Walsall school — PICTURE FROM THE PAST: ‘They’re off, and running.’ Those are only details on back of this print, apart from ‘Frank F. Harrison School, Walsall,’ but it is obviously a pancake race, clearly at the school. This picture is from the Express & Star picture archive and the date stamp is February 8, 1978.

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Pothole issue out of control

The article on potholes illustrates the serious state of our county and Britain’s roads. Picture No. 8 (front page, Feb 14) clearly illustrates the current and future deterioration of that particular road. The dark longitudinal line from the pothole into the distance is the result of poor work man ship at the time of laying the new surface. This joint should be cut and sealed with hot bitumen, Preston Street in Shrewsbury a classic example of this.

The cost of repairing 20,000 potholes since May will soon be lost when resurfacing will be required. In 1990 potholes were costing £50 per repair! I recall a few years ago Shropshire Council appointed a pothole consultant at £1,000 per day, it would seem they have not heeded his advice! So why have Britain’s roads been allowed to deteriorate to the debacle we have today? When county councils disbanded their county surveyor and divisional surveyor system, they had their own individual budgets and worked to them. I have a treasured photograph of the county surveyor and his surveyors taken in the 1960s, when I had the privilege of working for them in all forms of highway maintenance, along with their counterparts in the UK. They were dedicated to their roads and tax payer.

My forecast for the future? The pothole pandemic is out of control, we do not have the resources, irrespective of finance, being available to restore our roads to an acceptable standard. Our industry, way back in the early 90s was emphasizing the importance of preventative maintenance by surface dressing, and waterproofing our roads. No one listened hence the pothole pandemic! It is like patching a leaking boat!

Stephen Bridgwater, Midlands