Anger at pothole-plagued local roads reaches new high, survey suggests

Published

1 year ago

October 19, 2023

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Drivers’ anger with the state of local roads has hit a new high, with more than a third having to swerve to avoid a pothole, a survey of motorists has said.

Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed by the RAC said the condition of local roads was their biggest motoring worry, the highest proportion recorded since the motoring services company started polling drivers in 2015.

Last year, the level was 45% and the year before saw the previous high of 46%.

More than a third (35%) said they have had to swerve quickly to avoid a pothole, causing them to cross lanes or drive on to the wrong side of the road.

Two-thirds of the 2,583 UK drivers questioned in March by Online95, said the condition of the local roads they regularly drive had got worse in the previous 12 months.

Drivers pointed to poor surfaces, faded markings, litter and signage visibility among their concerns.

A little over a tenth (11%) said they were concerned about the state of motorways and high-speed dual carriageways, but nearly half (44%) said their condition had worsened since 2022.

Up to £14bn is estimated to be needed to address the backlog in local road maintenance in England and Wales, according to the Asphalt Industry Alliance.

Potholes often form when water enters cracks in the road surface, then freezes and expands.

RAC head of policy Simon Williams blamed “a long-term lack of funding for maintenance and repair work”.

Some roads, he said, are in such a fragile state that “it only takes a little rainwater getting into existing flaws followed by some sub-zero temperatures for them to break down further”.

He urged ministers “to ring-fence 2p from every litre of existing fuel revenues over a five-year period, which will give councils the funds they need to be able to plan proper maintenance programmes”.

“We have to bring the ongoing deterioration of our local roads to an end,” he said.

“It is plain wrong that drivers who contribute billions in tax every year have to put up with roads that are so far from being fit for purpose.”

Darren Rodwell, transport spokesman for the Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, called for councils to be given “five-yearly funding allocations to give more certainty, bringing councils on a par with National Highways”.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “The decision to redirect HS2 funding to other transport projects means that an extra £8.3bn has been freed up to help local authorities fill potholes and resurface roads across the country, which is on top of the near £1bn the government already provides on average every year.

“We are investing a record amount of funding into tackling potholes and resurfacing roads, which will see highway maintenance funding to local authorities almost doubled over the next decade.”

UK

Ellis Cox: Mother appeals to catch son’s killer on birthday anniversary

Published

17 mins ago

January 19, 2025

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Ellis Cox: Mother appeals to catch son's killer on birthday anniversary

Fresh appeals have been made for information on what would have been the 20th birthday of Ellis Cox, who was shot dead in Liverpool last June.

A number of people have been arrested in connection with the murder at Liver Industrial Estate, but no one has been charged yet.

The 19-year-old’s family and police have paid tribute to him and called for those with information to come forward.

He was shot in the back after a confrontation between his friends and another group of up to three males on Sunday 23 June.

His mother Carolyn paid tribute in an appeal to coincide with what would have been his 20th birthday.

“He was so kind… so laid back, so calm, so mature for his age. And he was just funny. Very funny.

“He was my baby… no mum should have to bury a child. He was my life. And I don’t know what to do without him.”

Meanwhile, his aunt Julie O’Toole said he was “the sort of person I think you’d be hard pressed to find anyone to say anything negative about. He was loyal, fiercely loyal… everything was about his family”.

To pay tribute to Ellis, Liverpool City Council will be lighting up the Cunard Building and Liverpool Town Hall in orange on Saturday.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve McGrath, the senior investigating officer, spoke about the information gathered so far, six months on from Mr Cox’s murder.

“I’m satisfied that the group that he was with was probably the target… and I would say that’s got something in relation to do with localised drug dealing in that area. But Ellis had no involvement in that whatsoever,” he said.

He added that police are looking for “really significant pieces of evidence now”, including “trying to recover the firearm that was used in relation to this, looking to recover the bikes that were used by the offenders”.

Mrs Cox also appealed for people to come forward with information.

“If you know anything, don’t let us get to [his] next birthday and still know nothing.

“We need to get justice for Ellis. And we need to get the people who took him from us off the streets.”

UK

Reward of £20,000 offered to identify parents of three siblings abandoned as babies over eight years

Published

9 hours ago

January 18, 2025

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Reward of £20,000 offered to identify parents of three siblings abandoned as babies over eight years

A £20,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the identification of the parents of three siblings found abandoned in London over eight years.

The Metropolitan Police said that despite more than 450 hours of CCTV being reviewed, the parents of the three children, known as Elsa, Roman and Harry, remain unidentified.

However, it is believed their mother has lived in an area of east London “over the past six years”.

Elsa was believed to be less than an hour old when she was found by a dog walker on 18 January last year, in East Ham, east London.

In the months that followed it was found that she had two siblings who were also abandoned in similar circumstances, in the same area of London, in 2017 and 2019.

On Saturday, police said the independent group Crimestoppers had offered a £20,000 reward for information passed to the charity, which will expire on 18 April.

Detective Inspector Jamie Humm, of the Met’s child abuse investigation team, said: “We have carried out extensive inquiries over the past year to try and locate Elsa’s parents.

“This has involved reviewing over 450 hours of CCTV and completing a full DNA structure of the mother.

“We have serious concerns for the wellbeing of the parents, especially the mother, and are continuing to work closely with Newham Council and appeal for the public’s help for information.

“I believe that someone in the area will have been aware of the mother’s pregnancies and that within the community there may be (or) have been concerns for this mother’s welfare.

“Thanks to the DNA work of forensic colleagues, police will be able to eliminate any unconnected person quickly and easily, as such I would ask you to contact police with confidence.”

Elsa was found wrapped in a towel in a reusable shopping bag, of which police have also released a new image, and was kept warm by the dog walker. She was uninjured.

Police said at the time that it was “highly likely” that she was born after a “concealed pregnancy”.

The BBC reported that at an initial court hearing, East London Family Court was told it took doctors three hours to record Elsa’s temperature because of the cold, and the Met Office said that temperatures dropped to as low as -4C on the night she was found.

Hospital staff named her Elsa in a reference to the character from the film Frozen.

The police investigation into the identity of the children’s parents continues, and anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or post @MetCC ref Operation Wolcott.

People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously at any time on 0800 555 111 or via Crimestoppers-uk.org.

UK

Ellis Cox: Mother appeals to catch son’s killer on birthday anniversary

Published

1 day ago

January 18, 2025

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Fresh appeals have been made for information on what would have been the 20th birthday of Ellis Cox, who was shot dead in Liverpool last June.

A number of people have been arrested in connection with the murder at Liver Industrial Estate, but no one has been charged yet.

The 19-year-old’s family and police have paid tribute to him and called for those with information to come forward.

He was shot in the back after a confrontation between his friends and another group of up to three males on Sunday 23 June.

His mother Carolyn paid tribute in an appeal to coincide with what would have been his 20th birthday.

“He was so kind… so laid back, so calm, so mature for his age. And he was just funny. Very funny.

“He was my baby… no mum should have to bury a child. He was my life. And I don’t know what to do without him.”

To pay tribute to Ellis, Liverpool City Council will be lighting up the Cunard Building and Liverpool Town Hall in orange on Saturday.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve McGrath, the senior investigating officer, spoke about the information gathered so far, six months on from Mr Cox’s murder.

Mrs Cox also appealed for people to come forward with information.

“If you know anything, don’t let us get to [his] next birthday and still know nothing.

“We need to get justice for Ellis. And we need to get the people who took him from us off the streets.”