A huge 100 metre pothole, which equates to an enormous puddle will not be fixed because the “council cannot afford it”, it has been claimed. The small road, in the village of Halling, Kent, is home to Andy Tebbutt who says he is unable to turn out of his driveway because of it.
Mr Tebbutt, a self-employed joiner, is frustrated as he said it has been blocking his driveway for four winters. He finds it challenging to drive his car through the deep water and has been calling on his local council to fix the drainage system which leads to its flooding in times of heavy rain.
The back road into Upper Halling often floods due to sloping fields and an inadequate drainage system. The water currently reaches at least up to the bumpers of most cars.
Despite his pleas to Medway Council to raise the road level and install a proper drainage system, they have told him they can’t afford the work. He said: “At the moment my house rates are £3,500 a year – and I can’t turn right out of my road to use this half of the road because it’s too flooded.”
“It’s unacceptable for it to get like this… There’s no maintenance whatsoever.” Another resident is suing his council after he suffered life-changing injuries when his motorbike hit a pothole.
Despite complaining to the council about the pothole, the resident claims he was told that it can’t be fixed due to a lack of funds.
He said: “I’ve contacted the council and been informed that they can’t afford to fix it, so it’s not gonna be fixed. Every time it rains it gets worse and worse. We could have a dry period for probably up to two weeks and it will still be flooded.”
“I’ve given up getting in contact with the council about it. I am fed up with it as it’s a nightmare.” Mr Tebbutt said the pothole is now so big people need to drive around it or find another route.
“It’s not a pothole; it’s at least 100 metres long and takes up the whole road so you can’t avoid it unless you drive all the way around,” he added.
“I have worked hard all my life and I don’t mind paying my tax, but why should I pay my council tax in full if I can’t turn right out of my home?
“The only way I can drive through it is with my van, but even then I am worried it’s going to cause it damage as I can see steam coming off my tyres. My daughter and wife can’t do that though, as they fear for what it’s going to do to their cars.”
“It’s every winter, as soon as it starts raining the puddle comes. It’s been going on for more than four years. It’s getting worse.”
Despite complaining to Medway Council to get the road raised and put proper drainage to stop the problem for good, Mr Tebbutt has little hope he will get his desired outcome.
It’s understood that potential solutions to the problem are likely to be financially challenging for the local authority at a time when most are struggling to balance their budgets.
Given it isn’t too busy a road, it would also be difficult to justify both the investment needed and why it should be prioritised over other, busier roads that regularly flood.
