Road surface 'like Mexico' says Councillor

8.26.05am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 22nd Jul 2009

Councillor Neil Butters (Lib Dem, Bathavon South), who represents the villages south of Bath, has called for the B3110 between Hinton Charterhouse and the Somerset County Council Border to be resurfaced as a matter of priority. The road is currently in very poor condition with bald patches and loose gravel.

Councillor Butters said, "There really is an amazing contrast in road surface quality once you get to the Somerset border. Travelling on the B3110 from Hinton Charterhouse towards Norton St Philip is like going from Mexico into the U.S.!

"I reported this issue to the Cabinet member for Customer Services, who is responsible for Transport at the start of the month. Coincidentally, he will be adopting the programme of road maintenance works in the near future. However despite admitting that he himself had recently reported the problem to Council Connect, there are no plans to resurface the road this year.

"I have written to the Cabinet Member asking him to change priorities and get this stretch of road some attention. However as yet, I have not received a response."

Local resident Elizabeth James, who drew Neil's attention to the problem, said, "The present road surface is bad enough in a car or a bus but absolutely diabolical on a bike where the rough, uneven surface takes away momentum as well. Between Hinton & Norton St Philip it looks and feels as though the road has been scarified and on the way into Midford from Hinton riding over the yellow 'go slow' strips is like crossing a cattle grid!

"I recently met some visiting cyclists who were also complaining about the road surface and said it was the worst they had encountered on their travels."