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Why doesn't my local council repair potholes and road damage?

I do not know if you are aware of the pronouncement by local councils that they may well abandon the upkeep of lanes and roads considered non-important. I live in Surrey, in a back lane outside the village of Ockley. Our back lanes are in a terrible condition. When I complain to Surrey, council they say they do not have the funds to repair all the roads and lanes in the whole of Surrey. Can you believe this? Surrey, must be one of the richest counties in England.

The state of the roads in Reigate, and Redhill is a disgrace, large ruts and potholes are everywhere making my car shake and bounce. The situation in Dorking, and Cranleigh is almost as bad. I have fired off letters to my MP, and the council wallahs that run Surrey council. Can you believe that the council has no funds left to repair the highways? This is a most serious situation.

Asked on 1 June 2013 by LD, Ockley, Surrey

Answered by Honest John
Would you be happy with a 20 per cent increase in your council tax to fund the road repairs and amend the mistakes of the past? The main problem is that the money that should have been spent maintaining roads in Surrey was spent instead in installing speed humps. The resultant pounding as vehicles mount and dismount the humps has destabilised the foundations of the roads and led to potholes before and after the speed humps. How daft is that? You had a chance to vote your councillor back in or out on 2 May.
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