Edinburgh's pothole ridden roads
Sunday 30 October 2005 | Written by Richard Brunton | Moans | Comments (3)
It's fair to say that on some of the main roads in Edinburgh you'd be quite forgiven for thinking you're actually driving through a road in the Middle East or East Europe. The City streets are falling apart, filled with potholes, sunken drains, and so many ripped up and repatched sections your car is bouncing all over it.
Now that's fine if you've bought a Jeep, but in a smaller car with stiffer suspension you're in danger of losing control of your car, particularly on a wet day, knocking off the alignment and causing wear to the tyres, knocking something from the road onto your vehicle causing damage or even just breaking the suspension on the hole.
It's dangerous and it's damaging your vehicle, but what can you do?
You can report the problem before something happens. I've just found the site to allow you to report road defects online, and I've reported two already. The stretch of road from Maxwell Street to Balcarres Street on Morningside Road, and the section of road from Craiglockhart Drive to Glenlockhart Drive opposite to the University buildings. Both have awful roads, and are in dire need of fixing.
I intend to fill out this form everytime I drive across a damaged piece of road, and hopefully see them getting fixed, until the next contractor comes along and rips up the road replacing it with sub standard work and materials for it to sink in a matter of weeks.
You can find the online form at the Clarence section of the Edinburgh Council Transport and Travel website.
Update: 13/11/2005
As yet, there really is no update. I've heard nothing since. I've now also added another one for Glenlockhart Road from the roundabout at Greenbank Drive all the way up the hill next to the golf course. I'll just keep adding them on.
Update: 14/11/2005
Apologies are due from me as I noticed this evening that I received an acknowledgement from the CLARENCE reporting system (don't ask about that name, please!). I have to wait ten working days before chasing the report, that is if nothing has been done, other than that there's not much information.
It's probably fair to assume that the previous two acknowledgements were dumped by my SPAM system...quite apt really.
Comments
16-11-2005
10:26
We have two roads that have just been re-surfaced, of the "loose chippings" variety.
The contractor wore stirrups, chaps and a ten gallon hat, riding his horse shouting "yeee-haaaaaw". Rough surface, not deep enough on the top layer, holes and cracks, and the join with the adjacent rodas were appauling (holes, grooves..)
After only 3 weeks, one of them is back up again, this time by the council. Hope the other comes back up too.
20-11-2005
12:33
See Richard as I have told you many a time Instead of your present car , you should have bought a MItsubishi L200 Ha Ha .My L200 drives over S2000 and pot holes like they didnt exist .
01-01-2006
03:28
The Government even claim you are making the potholes with your big Jeep...they don't seem to realise it's cowboy contractors and their lack of road maintenance.