Pothole Watch Chichester: potholes remain a hazard for residents and drivers

Responding to an article published earlier this week detailing some of the worst potholes in and around Chichester city centre, readers chimed in to give their take on an issue which has plagued West Sussex roads for as long as anyone can remember.

"I drove the road to Goodwood Motor Circuit yesterday,” said reader Carole Ann Darby. “People (were) driving in the middle of the road to avoid potholes, nearly causing other people coming the other way to crash into them.

"Same up St Paul's Road over the bridge towards the new housing estate . You meet someone coming the other way trying to avoid a pothole and you won't stand a chance. When is something going to be done about this? The police pull cars over to check if they are road worthy ! It's the roads that are not worthy to be driven on!”

Our article featured images of potholes from throughout the city centre, including West Street and Orchard Road, but readers were quick to point out that the problem goes far beyond the city itself.

"Selsey is bad too,” says reader Anne Kinnear. “Fill in a pothole, one week later it’s back!”

"Wherever you go in West Sussex there are potholes,” added Alan Cobb.

West Sussex County Council has been approached for comment, but their website explains why potholes might seem to be an even bigger issue than usual at the moment.

"The extreme weather over the past year has led to a rapid deterioration in the quality of road networks and a higher-than-normal incidence of potholes,” it claims.

"Large weather fluctuations make road surfaces expand, contract and expand again, causing cracks and new potholes to form.

"When potholes are reported to the council an inspector visits the site and decides on its repair depending on size, location and severity. Repairs are only temporary when the weather is very wet or cold, or when it is an emergency out-of-hours repair.”

This year, the county council has increased the number of “velocity patcher” units, in a bid to repair pothole-infested roads. The council has also introduced ‘Find and Fix pothole gangs’ to areas where the road quality is especially poor.