Lancashire Telegraph
A CONCERNED resident is calling for action about the poor condition of his road after claiming it has become a ‘health hazard’. Dr Mridul Datta, 75, of Whinney Lane, Langho, contacted Lancashire County Council about the state of the road after noticing an increasing amount of pot holes appearing week by week. The consultant at Audley Health Centre in Blackburn, who has been practicing medicine for over 50 years, started noticing the problem around three months ago. Dr Datta who lives with his wife, Dr Saroj Datta, 75, said it was concerning the how quickly the holes were becoming dangerous for motorists using the road.
He said: “When the first holes started appearing it became apparent that they were going to become a real health hazard if they weren’t fixed. “The holes are deep and at night it is very difficult to see them. “You could be driving down the road in the dark at the normal speed limit and hit the holes and do some real damage to your car. “I’ve hit the holes with my car a few times and damaged one of the alloys. “At one end of the road, you have to make a choice of either hitting one of the potholes or going into a bush if there is a car coming the other way. “You have to give way and you end up damaging your car, it is going to cause a serious accident soon.”
Dr Datta said he sent a letter to County Hall and sharing his concerns and asking if anything could be done, but as yet has heard no reply. Efficient working on other highway projects has made it possible for county road bosses to create a £2.5m Local Priority Response Fund for Lancashire’s roads. This new fund is part of the county council’s ambition to bring roads, streetlights and bridges into a better condition. This £2.5m fund is intended to support the 15-year Transport Asset Management Plan (TAMP), which has already shown results with fewer potholes and other defects now being found per kilometre on A, B and C-class roads.
County Hall chiefs said £110,672 has been allocated to repairs in the Ribble Valley. A Lancashire County Council spokesman said: “We have identified potholes which need repairs on Whinney Lane in Langho. “The repairs will take place at the road in sometime in the next 20 days.” Hearing the the County Hall’s response, Dr Datta added: “It’s not good enough to say 20 days when the road has been in a bad way for weeks. “Why not two days? why 20? “The road is in a really bad way and someone could end up toppling their cars over. “I will be checking to see if they are repaired in the next 20 days.”
