Cambridgeshire Roads: Potholes You Could Swim In!

Residents in Cambridgeshire are voicing strong criticism regarding the poor state of the county's roads. One local described the potholes as "deep enough to swim in," highlighting the severity of the issue. Essential repairs have begun on Forty Foot Bank, an accident-prone stretch between Ramsey and Chatteris.

The county council explains that roads situated on peatlands present particular maintenance difficulties. These areas, covering about 40% of Cambridgeshire, require a complex reconstruction process involving grinding and re-laying existing materials to stabilize the road base. This method is significantly more expensive than standard road repairs.

This challenging soil condition means that maintaining these roads can cost up to five times more per kilometre than roads in the southern parts of the county. The council has allocated an additional £20 million in the past year for road improvements and plans to continue this investment, though it necessitates extended road closures.

Reports indicate that a complete overhaul of these soil-affected roads could cost around £500 million, a substantial portion of the authority's projected budget. In the past year, approximately 11km of these specific roads were reconstructed or resurfaced at a cost of £5.5 million. Future projects, like the reconstruction of 1km of Forty Foot Bank, are estimated to cost over £550,000 and take six weeks.