County has left Morecambe's roads in a hole, says town councillor

Councillor Paul Hart has started marking potholes with white chalk paint to make them more visible to cyclists and other road users, and to flag areas in need of repair to Lancashire County Council's highways department.

He said: "Lancashire County Council takes so long to fill potholes that they are a continuing danger to cyclists and others. We are marking them in white so that both road users and repair teams can see them.

"Areas of the Poulton Ward, which I represent, have remained un-repaired for years and it is crucial that something is done before another winter causes further deterioration."

Councillor Hart also wants the county council to address further highways issues in the town, such as blocked drains and worn road markings.

He said: "The vast lake that appears in Westgate when it rains is due to drains that have been blocked for years. Lancashire County Council refuses to maintain them.

"At the same location the road markings are worn away to nothing, so junction priority is not knowable. It is a very busy junction and in this state of neglect it is highly dangerous.

"Another example is on Oxford Street in Morecambe.

"A tree blew down on December 2 2021, ripping up the pavement. Despite numerous requests, Lancashire County Council refuse to do the pavement repairs.

"We have been abandoned by Lancashire County Council in Morecambe, and have no option but to highlight these issues ourselves.

"Lancashire County Council has decided that we don’t matter - we have to show them that we do."Is there a problem with the roads or pavements where you live? Contact [email protected] or phone 07961 738 325 to let Councillor Hart know.

County Councillor Charlie Edwards, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: "Since taking on this role, I have worked day and night to improve services for Morecambe. Despite our small budget and rising costs, we will continue to invest in improving our glorious town.

"Ensuring our roads are safe and in good condition is one of our top priorities, and the county council is currently investing around £1m a year in renewing roads, streetlights, drainage and other infrastructure in Morecambe, on top of any funding which is needed for day-to-day repairs to issues such as potholes.

"Our highways team will inspect and repair any potholes which are found by our inspectors or reported by the public within 20 working days. If you want to report any issues then please use the Report It tool on our website or the new Love Clean Streets App.

"On Oxford Street our highways team have recently had to remove a number of trees for various reasons including storm damage. The stumps have now been ground down and we will be carrying out repairs to the pavements in the coming weeks."

Lancashire County Council have a pothole portal where you can report a pothole or a problem with a road surface or footway (pavement).

Visit here for more details.