THE NUMBER of complaints about potholes has dropped by more than 50 percent in the last year.

An annual survey into the state of Bolton's roads has found a massive drop in grievances across the borough, with nearly 5,000 fewer complaints registered between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019 compared to the previous year.

During that period, Bolton Council also paid out significantly less cash to drivers making claims for damage to their vehicles - total pay outs dropped from nearly £17,000 a year to around £5,000. This period covers two administrations, with the Conservatives taking over from the Labour Party in Bolton in May this year.

Chorley Old Road remains a problem after the authority received more complaints about this than any other street in Bolton for the second year running.

Cllr Stuart Haslam, the council's executive cabinet member for highways and transport, said he was pleased with the results of the survey but that the council would still be spending heavily on roads.

"Poor roads are an issue that affect everyone and something that people rightly bring up regularly," he said.

“So it’s good to see that the number of pothole complaints and the compensation bill have dropped."

He added: “But we know things aren’t perfect and that the road network needs more investment.

"This is why we are putting in an additional £10million to repair and renew residential roads, which we hope will start to make a difference.”

The council has also recently completed a resurfacing scheme on Chorley Old Road which it is hoped will reduce complaints.

Phil Thompson, from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), praised the council for its work but has called on the government to hand more funding to councils.

He said: "Most business rely on the road network more than any other type of transport infrastructure – they are vital for regional economies to attract business investment, and therefore jobs and growth. We are now starting to see the dividends of investment, but we need more of the same and it has to be sustained for a more resilient network."