3,800 complaints about Bolton potholes registered

Over the course of 2022/23 as many as 3,846 complaints were reported about potholes and road defects across the borough, with Chorley New Road attracting the most complaints, according to findings by the Federation of Small Businesses.

Cllr John Walsh, who has frequently spoken at town hall about the state of the roads, says this research matches up with feelings people in his area have expressed.

He said: “It certainly stacks up with what I see, I come across countless potholes in Bolton.

“We’ve seen particularly large numbers of potholes around Astley Bridge but also in Bradshaw, Bromley Cross and also in Heaton.”

A pothole on Longsight, Harwood (Image: Public)

He added: “All of these roads were built around the same time, the late 60s, early 70s and are now servicing huge numbers of houses.”

The figures drawn on by the FSB refer to number of complaints made rather than people who have complained with multiple complaints having been made by the same person in some cases.

Cllr Walsh drew on examples such as the area around Beaumont Road, which now services between 500 to 600 houses and the roads around Ladybridge, which service around 1000.

He argued that it would be far better to concentrate on long terms repairs in specific areas rather than simply dealing with specific potholes as they emerge.

Cllr Walsh said: “So why not have a proper job done, once and for all?”

The research carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses showed that there were 1322 more complaints in 2022/23 than there had been the year before.

This included 82 legal complaints recorded and came despite more than £5M having being spent on road repairs that year.

FSB Greater Manchester area leader David Sudworth said: “While a well-maintained road network may be seen by some as a ‘nice to have’, they’re actually rather important.

“Everybody relies on the road network in one way or another, whether that’s getting to work by bus, car or bike, or for businesses to get their goods in and out on time.

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“Our roads, paid for by our taxes, are our most important transport asset, and authorities must continue to invest in them.”

In response, car dealership the Swansway Motorgroup has advised drivers dealing with pothole riven roads to regularly check their tyre pressure and to watch out for puddles.

They have also advised drivers to always scan the road ahead, to avoid swerving and to slow down but avoid breaking when they go through potholes.

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Last month, we agreed the Forward Programme for road repairs and maintenance, with priority given to roads based on their condition and the urgency of the work needed.

“We also set out a provisional 10-year maintenance plan that will give residents and businesses the reassurance of knowing when work will be carried out on key routes.

“We rely on members of the public to alert us to any urgent maintenance issues, but potholes should first meet the required levels of 40mm deep in a road, and 25mm deep on a pavement or crossing.

“Bolton has received additional funding for road maintenance from Network North, and we will continue to make the case for even greater government investment in the highways infrastructure we all rely on.”