100,000 join Facebook pothole group

'Ben's Facebook campaign to stop potholes in Kent

by Katie Lamborn

More than 100,000 angry drivers have joined a Kent student's campaign against potholes.

Angry at the damage caused to their cars, supporters have voted with their keyboards - and joined a facebook group set up by an east Kent student.   

"I've paid my car tax, now go fix some f**king potholes" was set up by an 18-year-old from Herne Bay who just wants to be known as Ben.

The teenager's tracking was badly affected when he hit a pothole in his local area.   

"I was inspired by a tax (disc) holder which has the now name of my group on and I thought I would create a fan page for fun amongst my friends. 

"I can't believe how much the group's membership has rocketed."

The group's calling for better road surfaces for everyone, said Ben.

"I was going to get some brand new tyres onto the front of my car but I just think what's the point of paying out £120 when I'm very likely to hit another pothole.  I might bend a wheel or even blow a tyre."

This comes as it's announced councils in England and Wales have asked for an extra £100 million to fix potholes.

Kent County Council Leader Paul Carter said in a recent statement about potholes:

"I ask you to be patient because we cannot hit the task as hard as we would like until the winter is over and the weather improves."

"But this is not stopping us doing thousands of emergency temporary repairs, particularly for safety reasons. We have over 60 crews out doing this every day now."

KCC say they have so far filled 31 000 potholes. 

 

Wednesday, March 10 2010

Comments (12)

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  • gary andrews wrote:

    Ive just read your posting and read KCC reply. "I ask you to be patient" Try telling that to the family of the soilder killed by a pothole accident in Wiltshire.....Weve paid our Road tax Weve paid our Council Tax GET THEM REPAIRED NOW..Action not excuses....

    30 Mar 2010 9:02 AM

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  • Missy wrote:

    Birmingham agrees!

    Ben, well done. Is there anyone in Bham doing anything like this? I'm not sure how bad Kent is but whatever it is the Councils use to repair the potholes is simply not working. There is a hole, they fill the hole with about 85% of whatever it is they use. Within a fortnight the starts to reappear again. Why is it that on the motorways we see roadworks in same places during the years - surely if one place has been mended they move on to the next place, ie, urban roads? It's like we're being forgotten about and when the guys do come round it's only temporary. I've just £200 on my car tax and in my close of 34 houses (most have 1 or more cars) I know the Council will have received approx £6,800. There are 4 blocks of flats with numerous cars and other residents in my area...where's all this money going to?? It's a complete farce and it's daylight robbery!

    15 Mar 2010 4:30 PM

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  • Ashley wrote:

    pot hole ASHFORD

    when are they going to fix the huge pot hole by the B&Q round about,it is not good to serv as you are coming off a round about.they been there for months

    13 Mar 2010 4:48 AM

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  • Angela wrote:

    Facebook Pothole Group

    Well done to Ben for setting this group up on facebook...Of which i am a member! Just goes to show that there are some decent young people who are more concerned by important matters like this!...The roads are in an awful condition! Yes i understand that the weather hasn't helped matters, but a big 'c'mon' to the Local Councils, there are so many that haven't even been patched at all in the times we've had them!...We definitely should not be paying car tax for such shoddy roads!!

    11 Mar 2010 8:47 PM

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  • lloyd brooker wrote:

    potholes

    i have lost 2 tires now due to pot holes in my road (queens road) i think it is disgusting that i will have to pay out thanks to the council

    11 Mar 2010 1:20 PM

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  • angie wrote:

    potholes

    I live in lydd on romney marsh and its like we've been ignored here. The roads around lydd are dangerous and filled with potholes and that was before the bad weather which kcc has been using as an excuse for road damage. There is very little undamaged road between the potholes!!

    11 Mar 2010 1:04 PM

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  • Barbara wrote:

    Potholes

    Unfortunately it is not only tyres and wheels that are being damaged. Because there is so much loose stones and grit etc on the roads coming from these potholes, I have never heard of so many windscreens being damaged.

    11 Mar 2010 11:59 AM

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  • Steve wrote:

    Temp Repairs

    Yes they are spending thousands of pounds of our money on temp repairs, this might be acceptable if these temp repairs were actaully done properly, i have seen potholes filled in on the road outside where i work and it was little more than pouring in a bucket of tarmac stamping it down and moving on, next day theres a great lump of tarmac in the middle of the road so now theres a double obstacle in the road.

    11 Mar 2010 12:41 AM

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  • Graham Cuthbert wrote:

    Potholes

    If repairs/reinstatements to roads were sealed properly with hot tar then the water that freezes and lifts the tarmac wouldn't get access and the potholes wouldn't appear, it is a case of a stich in time!

    11 Mar 2010 12:29 AM

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  • JO.Humphrey wrote:

    Potholes

    They say they have fixed 31000 potholes - but remember THEY ARE MOST PROB TEMP REPAIRS - so actually not fixed at all! Even the temp repairs in Maidstone are useless as you still have to serve to avoid damaged to your car - Stop wasting our money KCC & fix the holes properly 1ST TIME.

    10 Mar 2010 5:46 PM

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  • Dave,Tonbridge wrote:

    Well Maintained Roads Dont Get PotHoles

    Andrew may think that KCC have not put potholes there on purpose but if their Highways Department had been run efficiently then the roads could have been kept in better order and not subject to so many potholes. KCC's £17,000,000 scheme to operate from 3 central depots has been a disaster not a money saver. The contract with a private contractor has been too expensive and not value for money. The recent bad weather has highlighted that Highways need to be moved back to each district. The Highways teams must spend all their time travelling from depot to site and then not knowing the locality.

    At least KCC know there is a problem although they will never admit it.

    Clearly the well paid senior Highways officers should not expect bonus until the Highways are back on track.

    10 Mar 2010 5:30 PM

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  • Andrew wrote:

    Potholes

    Yes, We all dont like potholes but KCC havn't put them there on purpose. We all pay road tax and this is being used to try and get round to the hundreds of thousands of potholes that are on Kent Road. No one appreciates that these people work 24/7 to refill these potholes but they cant get round to all the potholes! KCC need to be aware of the potholes aswell so if you see one, report it! Dont asume that someone else will report it.

    10 Mar 2010 2:03 PM

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