ANOTHER month is set  to pass without any pothole-littered roads or  pavements in Exeter being “properly” resurfaced, according to a  county councillor.

The lack of action on  tackling potholes has  been highlighted in the  latest schedule of road  repairs for the city by  Cllr Rob Hannaford.

The Echo has been reporting on some of the  problems with roads in  the city as part of its  Road To Ruin campaign.

Cllr Hannaford, who  represents the Exwick  and St Thomas areas,  has, alongside the Echo,  been pressing Devon  County Council to  “resurface roads properly” rather than just fill  in the holes.

“The trouble with  patch-up jobs is they  don’t really work,” said  Cllr Hannaford. “The  filler works itself free  again and you’re left  with a bigger pothole  than before. It’s a false  economy. Residents say  they would prefer to  wait and have their road  done properly so it lasts  a long time.”

But he said people  should not have to wait  too long. It took 25 years  to get Chester Close  resurfaced. Stafford  Road has been waiting  for 10 years, so far.

Cllr Hannaford said:  “People are paying a lot  of council tax and it’s  not good enough that  they have to wait a long  time.

“Potholes and pavements should be one of  the council’s main priorities. Seven out of 10  queries I get as a county  councillor are about  these issues. You’ve got  to provide frontline services and infrastructure, and do anything  else when you can afford  it.”

He was frustrated to  learn that no resurfacing work was scheduled  to be done in Exeter in  February. He said: “The  pavements in Gloucester Road were done in  September and since  then no proper work has  been done.

“I know you’ve got to  be patient and wait your  turn but it’s getting  ridiculous. Plenty of  roads in my area, such  as Prince’s Square, desperately need attention,  especially after the cold  weather we’ve had. The  recent snow and ice has  worked its way in and  loosened more of the  roads.”

In the last month  alone, there have been  reports of problems  with potholes in Gittisham in East Devon,  Tiverton in Mid Devon,  and Burnthouse Lane  and Rifford Road in  Wonford, Exeter.

Cheryl Coulthirst,  from Rifford Road, said:  “I had to take my car  into the garage because  it started making a  banging noise after I ran  over a pothole. I think it  damaged the suspension.”

Cllr Stuart Hughes,  the county council’s cabinet member for highways and transportation, said that the authority had asked central government for £220  million to get rid of the  backlog of poorly maintained roads.

He said: “We are urging all road users to take  extra care, especially on  minor roads during the  hours of darkness. We  are having to concentrate our resources on  ensuring the major  roads in the county are  treated first.”

Potholes can be reported online at  www.devon.gov.uk or  by ringing  0845 1551004.