POTHOLE WATCH: Northamptonshire County Council reveal cost of bringing roads up to '˜good standard'

Northamptonshire County Council has revealed the amount it would cost to bring the county's roads up to a 'good standard'.

This week Mark Morrell – aka Mr Pothole – handed the council two Section 56 notices (of the Highways Act 1980) on National Pothole Day citing the authority’s failure to maintain two Northamptonshire roads.

The legal challenge gives the authority six months to take action should it not have a defence against the notices.

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If the two highways (the Halse to Greatworth road and the Welsh Lane route from Crowfield to the A43 roundabout) fit the criteria for action, the county council will have to fix them.

But, the authority says that in order to bring all of the county’s roads up to a “good standard” it would have to spend at least £100m.

A spokesman for Northamptonshire County Council said: “This has been one of the most severe winters in recent years with three major snow events and about 100 gritting runs carried out so far.

“Like elsewhere in the country this has had a heavy impact on our roads.

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“As the responsible highways authority for Northamptonshire we are continuing to work to our policy, which determines the safety intervention levels.

Mark Morrell - AKA Mr Pothole - marches into One Angel Square with his Section 56 notices. (Picture: Leila Coker)Mark Morrell - AKA Mr Pothole - marches into One Angel Square with his Section 56 notices. (Picture: Leila Coker)
Mark Morrell - AKA Mr Pothole - marches into One Angel Square with his Section 56 notices. (Picture: Leila Coker)

“If a defect meets our intervention criteria then we are still undertaking repairs within timescales set out in our policy.

“However to bring the roads up to what would be a good standard would cost at least £100m.”