Latest figures show pothole complaints reducing

Pothole earmarked for repair

Rochdale Council has responded to figures provided by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) that showed a staggering increase in the number of pothole complaints in the borough in 2015/16 by providing the latest figures (for 2016/17), which it says shows the number of complaints is now falling.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/111472/staggering-rise-in-the-number-of-pothole-complaints

Councillor Neil Emmott, Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “The article refers to complaints made about potholes and road condition in 2015/16, before we committed significant additional investment to permanently repair potholes across Rochdale.

"In 2016/17, we invested an additional £1m into our pothole repair programme to permanently repair potholes on the borough's worst roads. This work was undertaken alongside the routine day-to-day pothole repairs that the council carry out each year.

“In 2017/18, we provided additional funds to double the pothole repair fund to £2m, which means that Rochdale has committed more money to permanently repairing potholes than most other Greater Manchester councils.

"This additional investment has led to a huge drop in pothole complaints from 2,475 in 2015/16 to 1,223 in 2016/17, a reduction of more than 50 per cent."

However, whilst the 2016/17 figure of 1,223 complaints is a decrease when compared to the huge number of complaints, 2,475, in 2015/16, the number of complaints remains significantly higher than the 200 in 2013/14 and 295 in 2014/15.

Councillor Emmott says the council has spent "over £14m on improving the borough’s roads over the last five years".

He added: "Within the next few weeks, we will be carrying out major resurfacing work on some of the boroughs busiest roads, which will include totally resurfacing Yorkshire Street in Rochdale town centre from the Townhead junction and Entwisle Road and resurfacing Queensway from the junction of Dicken Green Lane and the Oldham Road Gyratory system.”