Environment Minister and NE Cambs MP Steve Barclay has been urged to tackle a flooded road in his own constituency that residents claim has some of the worst potholes in Cambridgeshire. “We now have a waterfall across the road here,” says Liz Wright who has emailed the MP to urge him to put pressure on Cambridgeshire County Council to resolve issues affecting Hook Road, Wimblington.
She is not alone.
Cambridgeshire County Council has numerous entries on its interactive website showing complaints from residents – and whether or not the issues have been resolved or remain outstanding. Most are the latter.
“Numerous holes – soon won’t get through,” says one complainant.
Another told the council just before Christmas: “About 3 metres of road ripped up and pot holes forming.”
A third resident report: “Deep hole in the middle of the SLOW written on the road. My son hit this on his pushbike and nearly fell into the road.
“The whole length of this road is very dangerous for cyclists who have to bike along here where there are no streetlights.”
And the county council received this complaint, too, on December 12.
“All along Hook Road is a big problem.
“Ongoing issue on this part of the road with a continuous flood streaming across the road its now becoming a hazard.
“We residents have to constantly weave our cars over dodgy unstable road surfaces/deep potholes and damaged road trying to avoid damage to our tyres.
“Please, please seriously look into the roads multiple issues and address how repairs can be made, it’s only going to get worse, thank you.”
Liz Wright is hopeful her letter to her MP will spark a response.
“If you look on Cambs highways faults you’ll see its been reported a lot of times more than shown as it’s been going on since the summer,” she said.
And in her email to Mr Barclay, she wrote: “I have a friend visiting this weekend after a bereavement and I had to explain to him that when he visits he needs to pull over to the right and not hit the extremely deep pot hole on the left.
“I should not have to do this. I pay my tax and a high Council Tax, and I do not understand why this is not being fixed.
“Yes I do know the excuses given by Cambridgeshire County Council but initially this ditch was dug out by a neighbour who must have broken the pipe.
“He left it in a terrible state with the verge impassable and refused to make it right.
“This started then, now CCC are trying to blame the house holders and the farmer who clearly have nothing to do with this.”
She added: “It will cost £40,000 apparently but the accident waiting to happen here is going to cost more in terms of NHS and police.
“I realise this is not important, but I can no longer drive my pony down here as she would fall down the holes as we cannot avoid them, and the carriage wheels would stick in the holes and turn it over.
“Heaven knows what pedestrians do, no verge, the road unsafe – and it being close to three rights of way including the circular route that Fenland District Council commissioned years ago – yes it was FDC not CCC as you would expect.
“The van I use for Cats Protection is terrifying going over and near those pot holes and it limits my ability to offer a service to Fenland.
“I have noticed lorries almost tipping over now coming round the corner. Highways repeatedly tell us they have no concerns about the many planning applications that affect us along Hook – I wonder if they ever come and look?
“We experience heavy traffic including a lorry yard that appears to run a large number of lorries, traffic to Fengrain and increasingly people using as a rat run to avoid March and the bypass.
“No one is NIMBY but this needs recognising as a road meaning that it is safe for cars, horses, cyclists, and walkers alike. If CCC cannot find the money maybe some of the section 106s (community benefit funds paid by developers) could.
“We also need a speed limit and there are no mechanisms to do this but again we are forgotten.”
Liz added: “The horse signs and indeed the 30mph sign are tiny as you come in and then its go as fast as you can along the straight until you hit the lorry yard or bend.
“There is little access to the countryside as we fulfil our housing allocation.
“Surely walkers and other country users should be able to negotiate country road in safety with verges and a safe road.
“I hope you will use your influence and your position as Environment Minister to improve our environment.”
On a local Facebook group one resident wrote: “It’s a river trickling across the road. We have been complaining about this road for over a year. It’s getting worse by the day.”
CambsNews will be inviting responses from both the county council and the MP after the weekend.
