Potholes leaving South Wales' roads in 'terrible state' - taxi leaders claimPotholes littering the streets of Cardiff are leaving the roads among the worst in the UK, the city’s taxi body has claimed.
The Cardiff Hackney Carriage Association said that scores of roads in the capital are in a “terrible state of repair” after huge amounts of rain and the recent cold snap – criticising the council for making short-term repairs rather than carrying out more lasting repairs.
It has presented a list of 16 spots where the roads were in need of “urgent attention” to the council – saying that damage to taxis was running into thousands of pounds.
One pothole reported to WalesOnline on Rover Way in Tremorfa was blamed for damaging 18 cars in one day.
Cardiff council said it was spending £5m this financial year to repair potholes in the quickest possible time.
It comes after we revealed last year that the council would splash out £14m to fix potholes that were blighting the city’s roads over a three-year period.
Mathab Khan, chairman of the Cardiff Hackney Carriage Association, said: “Instead of doing proper work on potholes to make sure it won’t happen again they just put a patch on it.
“Every time there’s a drop of rain the surface gets rubbed away and then there’s a massive hole there.
“We pay road tax, so why are we short changed?”
In his letter to the council, Mr Khan said that up to 16 roads – including main thoroughfares North Road, Newport Road and Eastern Avenue – had been overlooked in resurfacing plans.
He said the roads were “in a terrible state of repair” and were causing “serious damage” to taxis costing drivers thousands.
He said roads within Cardiff city boundary were probably “one of the worst” compared to other large towns and cities.
Mr Khan said the potholes could cause huge damage to the cars.
“The wish bone, the steering rack, the shock absorbers, the ball joints are all badly damaged,” he said.
“To get it fixed you have to be off the road for a day or two, buy a part which is expensive and to get it properly fitted by a good mechanic – it’s a lot of work.
“The councils say they will pay for repairs but that’s not what we want. We want proper road surfaces.”
One pothole had reportedly damaged up to 18 cars, prompting the road to be closed for four hours on Tuesday for emergency repairs.
Simon James, from St Mellons, said he would need to replace his tyre after driving into the deep hole on Rover Way in Tremorfa.
“I counted 18 vehicles pulled over and in one layby alone I counted six cars. Most had their boots open and were changing wheels,” he said.
Max Lloyd Hughes also had to travel to the Rover Way pothole to help his wife, who punctured a tyre on the hole.
He said: “Once I arrived, I changed her tyre and the other two people’s tyres.
“My wife also said she noticed four or five other cars pulled over further back from where she stopped.”
Ramesh Patel, a Labour councillor for Canton, agreed that temporary repairs are insufficient.
“Certainly there’s been a considerably amount of potholes which occurred because of the snow, and I experienced the same a few years ago when it snowed then.
“There definitely are areas in my own ward where after the snow this time, the permanent repairs from last time are still there.
“But where there are temporary repairs, as soon as there’s bad weather they need work again.”
He added: “To keep doing temporary repairs is not cost effective.”
It comes after councils across South Wales were left with a backlog of pothole repairs after two harsh winters, leaving them with a multi-million pound repair bill.
Temporary repairs are often ruined when water seeps into existing gaps, freezes and cracks the Tarmac further.
Councillor Iona Gordon, the Labour councillor for Riverside, said she reported a Cathedral Road pothole to the council after it hadn’t been cordoned off one day after a resident reported the hole.
Coun Gordon said: “The car broke its tyre and front axle so it was very dangerous.
“I’ve asked the police to have a look at it to see if it needs to be cordoned off.”
Taxi companies in other areas across South Wales also reported potholes as a concern.
Gareth Murray, owner of Murray’s Taxis, Rhondda said: “The weather does have a big effect but the potholes were there before, the weather just makes it worse.
“I’ve had two snapped suspension springs because when you go over a pot hole it puts a lot of pressure on the suspension and the spring snaps”, he said.
Gareth Farmer, proprietor of Friendly Cab Company in Caerphilly also said he’d noticed an increase in poor road conditions since the snow.
“We haven’t been affected as yet but over time if they aren’t filled, they’re going to cause damage”, he said.
Councils said they would invest in further repair work since the snow.
A Cardiff Council spokeswoman said: “Roads are already being repaired through additional resources that are being deployed to assist with getting the work completed in the shortest possible time.
“The Council this financial year is investing £5m in resurfacing over 220 roads.”
Cardiff council also did repairs at three locations on Cathedral Road since Councillor Gordon’s complaint.
Caerphilly County Borough Council and Rhondda Cynon Taff Council both said their roads had been affected by the snow and they were working to repair the holes.
Read more: Wales Online
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonl ... z2K13Z9dnE
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FAQ
ACTUALLY THEY DONT BEEN THERE THEIR THICKOS THEIR WELCOME TO YOU 
the Holywell road has always been a rough road but now it's worse than a farm track !!!!
