New data shows 28% of Bristol’s B-Roads need maintenance

Local TV

Potholes aren’t just an inconvenience — they’re the number one complaint from Bristol drivers and cyclists alike. In the last 12 months, over 9,000 potholes were reported to Bristol City Council, with a repair rate of roughly 80% within 30 days.

Transcript

00:00If you've hit a pothole in Bristol lately, you're not alone.

00:04According to Bristol City Council's own data,

00:07around 28% of the city's B roads are in need of maintenance.

00:11That's nearly one in three roads.

00:13And while the council spent over £4.5 million on road repairs last year,

00:19that's down from previous years due to tighter budgets.

00:22Nationally, the picture's not much better.

00:25It's really nice, especially the downs as well, actually.

00:27When I'm just walking into uni.

00:30Going through the downs, it's nice and uplifting.

00:32They're a bit of a nightmare, to be honest.

00:34The traffic is very endless.

00:36You have to peak your times of when you travel.

00:38Obviously, school runs and times like that.

00:40It's terrible.

00:42What about things like potholes?

00:43Do you find them?

00:46Yeah, potholes are pretty bad,

00:47especially depending on what kind of car you've got.

00:49Obviously, if you've got a big SUV, then it's not a problem.

00:51But if you've got something with a bit harder suspensions,

00:54or you're on a bicycle or a motorbike,

00:56then it can be pretty dangerous.

00:58There is now a £14 billion backlog in road repairs across England and Wales.

01:04But here in Bristol, the debate continues.

01:07Should funding go into smoother roads or sustainable transport instead?

01:12Potholes aren't just an inconvenience.

01:15They're the number one complaint from Bristol drivers and cyclists alike.

01:21In the last 12 months, over 9,000 potholes were reported in Bristol's City Council,

01:27with a repair rate of roughly 80% within 30 days.

01:31But is that fast enough?

01:34Some residents argue no,

01:35especially in areas like Southmead and fish ponds,

01:39where surfaces are noticeably worse.

01:41It's easy to get around, I'd say.

01:44Sometimes, on a bike, I'm dodging quite a lot of potholes

01:47or dodging quite a lot of bumps in the road,

01:49especially some of the cycle paths.

01:51Some of them are a bit dangerous.

01:52But for the most part, it's quite easy to get around

01:54if you can avoid the potholes.

01:55So, as a driver, I would say they are very tight.

02:00And at the times, they are...

02:02I think it's a climate of Britain in general.

02:05But, yeah, sometimes they are challenging to move around.

02:10From a pedestrian perspective, I would say they are fine, I think.

02:16Safe and, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

02:20Meanwhile, insurers are reporting more vehicle damage claims,

02:24linked to road defects the previous years.

02:29The council says it's prioritising roads

02:31with the highest footfall and risk.

02:34But for many Bristolians, the damage is already done

02:37to their cars, like bikes, and sometimes their patients.

02:41Generally, would you like more to be done

02:43to things like the potholes and to improve our roads?

02:46Yeah, I think there's a lot of quite terrible roads, to be honest.

02:50But, yeah, so if the potholes weren't as bad,

02:54then I think it would be better and safer on a bike.

02:56I think it would be better and safer on a bike.

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