Is this the most potholed road in Exeter?

EXETER'S potholed Stuart Road in Heavitree has been nominated as one of the worst in the city. One pothole at the top of the road is estimated to be between four and five inches deep and about 18 inches around.

The state of the road was first highlighted in the Echo two years ago – and little has changed since then as it has again been highlighted by residents as being in dire need of repair.

Jonathan Wright, who walks up and down the road each day on his way to work, said it was in a shocking state.

He said: "Although only a side street, it is well-used by parents dropping off their children at the nearby St Michael's School.

Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk

myprint-247

View details

Print voucher

Our heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.

Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk

Contact: 01858 468192

Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013

"Much of the surface has suffered subsidence in a number of places on the main carriageway. In addition, the gullies consist of little more than hardcore.

"I pity the residents – their car tyres must be ripped to shreds every time they have to manoeuvre in and out of the tightly-packed cars, which only exacerbates the broken road surface."

Janette Hoare, who has lived in the street for around 18 years, said: "Up the top of the road there is a really deep pothole and if you are going up or down the road you have to be careful to avoid it.

"But all down the road there are big gaps and where they have put in patches it is starting to break up again.

"We have lived here for about 17 to 18 years and it has never been resurfaced from end to end in that time – it is bumpy all the way up.

"It does need doing as it is getting worse."

Olwen Foggin, county councillor for Heavitree and Whipton Barton, said: "If people report potholes either to me or the county council then they will be filled up.

"I have had this assurance from Cllr Andrew Leadbetter, chairman of the Exeter and Devon joint highways committee (Hatoc)."

Devon's cabinet member for Highways and Transportation, Stuart Hughes, said people should report problems with potholes but conceded that it was battling a big backlog.

He said: "Currently, our priority in terms of road repairs is the A and B roads, then C roads and systematically working down through the other roads in our network.

"We are doing our best to catch up with an enormous backlog of repair work on Devon's roads.

"Our residents are really the eyes and ears of our network and it does help us if people can tell us about problems in their neighbourhood.

"People can report potholes online by going to www.devon.gov.uk/roads or calling 0845 155 1004 and we will do our best to make repairs within 24 hours."