Council plays whack-a-mole with 51 potholes rather than resurface the lot

At the end of Aberdeen Avenue in Cambridge, there is a patchwork quilt made of tarmac.

But there’s nothing comfortable about it – you certainly can’t use it as a blanket and riding it on a bike without suspension can be a little bumpy.

That’s because this patchwork is a hodgepodge of repairs that the local council has repaired as they appeared. In other words, the council has been playing a game of whack-a-mole with the road surface.

Residents near the junction with Brooklands Avenue have counted a total of 51 repairs, leading to calls for a longer-lasting solution – and prompting questions about why the road has been patched so many times.

Some residents have questioned whether repairing potholes individually is more profitable for contractors, although there is no evidence to support the claim.

Former councillor Dr Jocelynne Scutt said: ‘Clearly, all could have been done as one major patch.

‘Dedicated Highways workers now will stand aghast at this sort of money-grubbing practice that ought-to-be-stopped.’

However, Cambridgeshire County Council insist that the repairs happen as and when they’re needed after safety inspections or reports from road users.

A spokesperson said: ‘While resurfacing the entire area may be desirable, it can be more expensive and, with limited funding available, resurfacing schemes must be prioritised across the county based on need.’

Damage to vehicles from potholes costs the average driver around £500 in repairs.

Earlier this year, the government gave councils tougher rules to prove that they are fixing potholes or they could face losing up to a third of funding for next year.

Cambridgeshire has recently given the green light for £5 million to be spent on repairing the county’s roads ready for winter.

However, they acknowledge that is not enough and they have to prioritise repairs.