Bolton Council has 'not enough funding' for pothole backlog

This comes shortly after weeks after Bolton Council announced its 10 year plan for the repairs of the borough’s roads.

But a recent town hall meeting heard from Cllr Andy Morgan how people around Ladybridge and Chew Moor had raised concerns about “huge issues” with potholes.

He said: “The continued temporary pothole fillings, that seem to last until the next frost or heavy rain fall are completely inadequate and a more permanent resolution to is required.”

People in Ladybridge and elsewhere have long been plagued by potholes (Image: Public)

Cllr Morgan, of Heaton Lostock and Chew Moor said some of the roads around Ladybridge and the speed humps around Chew Moor were coming towards the end of their expected lifespans.

But he said he noticed action appeared to have been taken soon after he submitted his question around a week before he read it out publicly at a full council meeting on Thursday March 13.

Cllr Morgan said: “Miracles do happen! Since submitting my question last week many of the potholes along Armadale Road and Chew Moor Village have been filled!”

But he said there was still a pressing need to deal with potholes elsewhere in his area.

Bolton’s 10 year plan for road repairs includes a programme of maintenance and repairs on major highways like Manchester Road, Chorley Road and Bury Road.

It also includes plans to spend nearly £1M over two years that has been made available through “Network North” funding from the now cancelled HS2 railway project.

But council cabinet member for transport, housing and highways Cllr Hamid Khurram said that authority had still had to cope with funding cuts from central government.

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He said that this came despite the council facing its “biggest ever annual pothole repair backlog.”

Cllr Khurram said: “The current funding is just not enough to tackle the backlog.

“I can confirm that addressing the condition of our highways network is a priority and that unfortunately this winter has resulted in the rapid deterioration of a number of our roads.”

But he said that the council’s plan still included highways repairs and he said that alternative repair techniques had proven to be “very durable.”