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‘Hull looks like an unloved patchwork quilt,’ one councillor said
The council says it is continuing to invest in its highways maintenance programme (file photo)(Image: Donna Clifford)
Councillors discuss Hull’s potholes after call for urgent action
- Councillors have discussed potholes in the city after the Hull Labour Group called for urgent action to be taken on the issue. At a full council meeting held on March 19, a motion delivered by Labour’s Cllr Anna Thompson called on Hull City Council and the Hull and East Yorkshire Combined Authority to work to tackle potholes across the city, and to make best use of £133 million of highways improvement funding allocated by the Government.
- The motion followed the council being ranked ‘amber’ on the Government’s new traffic light-style pothole ranking system. Each council across the country was ranked on the condition of their roads, their spend, and their wider best practice.
- During the debate, councillors shared concerns over the state of roads in the city. Labour Cllr Jessica Smith said: “The reactive repairs we’re doing are not enough. We’re filling potholes one by one as they happen. It’s like putting a plaster on a much bigger problem.” Meanwhile, Independent Cllr Sherilee Jepmond said: “Hull looks like an unloved patchwork quilt.”
- The ruling Liberal Democrats on the council backed the Labour motion. However, while doing so, the council’s cabinet member for transport, Lib Dem Cllr Mark Ieronimo, sought to defend the authority’s record on potholes. He said: “Over the past four years, Hull City Council has continued to invest in its highways maintenance programme, repairing thousands of potholes, resurfacing key routes, and adopting more proactive approaches to road maintenance. Last year alone, we repaired over 6,000 potholes. Of course, challenges remain, years of national underinvestment in local government have left a backlog that cannot be fixed overnight.” Cllr Ieronimo also sought to remind councillors that despite getting an overall amber rating, the council was given green ratings on both the road condition and spend categories.
- Despite the inception of the new Combined Authority, Hull City Council will continue to deliver schemes on the ground in Hull. HEYCA operates as the strategic transport authority. The Combined Authority insists it allocates funding for highways maintenance fairly across Hull and East Yorkshire to invest in improvements to the local network.
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