Road to ruin as drivers express anger at state of our network

Mar 4 2009 by Shona Mitchell, East Kilbride News

POTHOLES and cracks are becoming an increasingly common sight on roads throughout the East Kilbride area leaving many motorists fuming.

With many of our roads crumbling and pitted with temporary repairs, drivers can often be seen driving erratically to avoid damaging their vehicles.

Each month at the town’s community council meetings, fed-up residents complain about the poor state of our roads.

This week the News visited a few well-used roads to see the extent of the damage.

Maxwell Drive, a busy road through the heart of the Village, is currently in dire need of resurfacing – something members of East Mains Community Council hope will happen sooner rather than later.

Community council chairman, Bill Arthur, told the News this week: “We have been trying to get this road repaired for around a year now and we hope it won’t be long now before the works actually take place.

“There was a damaged water pipe last week which has made the situation so much worse.

“We have been told for months there is no money in this year’s budget to repair it but as the money is renewed soon we hope to see it sorted.

“The road is part of a very busy area and it also serves a funeral parlour.

“The situation has got to the stage where the potholes are so deep it has become dangerous. It is diabolical.”

Hazelhead and Angus Avenue in Calderwood are also particularly bad.

One resident said: “I live in this part of Calderwood and find the condition of these roads simply atrocious.

“It’s impossible to drive along and avoid all the potholes as they seem to be everywhere.

“In December I burst one of my car tyres when I hit a pothole which was filled with water.

“It seems that tar is poured into these potholes and they are then considered repaired.

“However, these so-called repairs rarely last a week.”

The News has also received calls recently about Lickprivick Road, which runs through Greenhills, as it has three large potholes on one side which means many drivers end up on the other side of the road to avoid them.

Despite the poor condition of the roads, South Lanarkshire Council has paid out just £2,464.89 in compensation to drivers whose cars have been damaged on the roads since April 1 last year.

A spokesman for the council said this week: “As a consequence of adverse weather conditions since November 2008 (one of the harshest winters for nearly 20 years) many of our roads have deteriorated in condition, especially rural roads, with many potholes forming.

“The council will continue to regularly inspect and repair any safety defects which develop on any of our roads.

“Any roads defects should be reported to the council either via our website or by calling 0800 24 20 24.

“Last year we announced a Roads Investment Programme which will see £126 million being spent, over an eight year period, on improving roads throughout South Lanarkshire.

“This major programme will transform South Lanarkshire’s roads network.”

Residents of Auldhouse are also furious at the condition of the main roads serving their area.

Leeburn Road and Langlands Road are both in a bad state of repair, with deep potholes and cracks all along them.

And with these roads being used regularly by heavy vehicles, they are only becoming worse.

One local resident told the News: “I used these roads every day for a long time but stopped as they have got so bad.

“We now use the main roads as much as possible.

“We’ve had broken springs on the car and think it could be down to these roads.

“There is a lot of heavy traffic using this road on a daily basis so it just gets worse.

“The council come and fill the holes but almost as quickly as they fill them, the tar is back out.”

The spokesman for South Lanarkshire Council said the roads in the Auldhouse area are repaired regularly.

He said: “We have received around a dozen complaints about the condition of roads in and around the Auldhouse area.

“At the moment there are a significant number of lorry journeys being made on Millwell Road and Ardochrig Road in connection with the construction of Meadowhead Farm Equestrian Centre. This is impacting on the condition of the roads and we are carrying out repairs to maintain the roads in a serviceable condition.

“In the past year we have spent £106,000 on improvements for Millwell Road and £162,000 on improvements for Ardochrig Road.

“Langlands Road is being put forward for inclusion in next year’s programme of improvement works.”

Are there any roads you use which you think are in a poor state and should be highlighted? Email shona.mitchell@s-un.co.uk