On a Monday morning the shops and cafes in Trafford are a place of calm, as people sip their coffee and chat about the weekend.
But on the roads, it’s a very different story. Locals claim they are plagued with potholes on ‘nearly every street.’ Every day cars and pedestrians are forced to avoid these holes that cover the road surface.
Louis Jensen, who was out shopping with his young son, said he had to take great care when crossing roads, especially when he was pushing his kid’s buggies.
The 31 year old dad said: “My kid’s buggy wheel gets stuck in them sometimes when I cross the road. It doesn’t just affect people when they’re driving, people walking trip in them and hurt themselves. It’s not good for anyone really. Trafford council don’t seem to want to figure out a real solution.”
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According to data from a Freedom of Information request, four of nine boroughs in Greater Manchester were found to have a drop in the number of potholes repaired in the 2022/23 year. Among them, Trafford was lowest with 22 percent less potholes being repaired than in the 2021/22 year.
Sheila Atherton, 66, voiced similar concerns. “The state of the roads around here are disgusting. Every road around here is full of potholes and it’s just getting worse.
“This used to be a nice area. We’ve been complaining about it to the council for ages but nothing has been done. It’s not enough to be repaving only a few roads then doing nothing again. The council need to do more.
“I want to see something get done, if they can’t then I’ll vote for someone who says they will.”
Others also said that potholes and the conditions of the roads at this time would be a factor in their voting. Many people noted specific streets which they thought had a drastic problem with potholes. Among them was Marlborough road, Canterbury road, Hayeswater road and Sunderland Road.
Trafford council’s website states a reported pothole will be repaired if it has a minimum depth of 40mm when found on roads. The speed of repair will depend on the severity of the potholes. Potholes graded emergency priority are set to be repaired within 24 hours, those graded hurry priority within seven days and those deemed normal priority within 28 days.
Another man, who wished to remain anonymous, added that he had only recently passed his driving test but claimed he had already caught his car in a pothole five times. He said his friends did not like to drive around Trafford due to the ‘poor road conditions.’
A spokesperson for One Trafford said that in the financial year of 2022/23, £4m had been spent on repairing potholes. But for many residents in the borough this is not enough, with one man saying that if something is not done ‘there will be a serious accident soon’.
Residents on the social media platform X have also raised their concerns, disgust and anger over the state of the roads in Trafford.
@Scuubersteve said: “Spent my weekend in the Scottish Highlands again. And barely a pothole in the road…totally different to my hometown Trafford where there’s a pothole on every single street! Why?”
@Stanley_Walker said: “I recently travelled down a road in Trafford that was an absolute disgrace. It was a reasonably affluent area and had a pothole every few metres.”
Rupali Paul, councillor for Manor Ward in Trafford said: “I do echo the voice of my constituents in Manor Ward where the roads are in a dire state and even after numerous requests to resurface the roads and fill in the potholes, are requests are being declined or postponed.”
Despite Trafford council spending £5m on more than 300 proactive road repair schemes, for the residents who live, work and drive in Trafford it is just not enough.
A woman, who asked not to be named, summed up the general feelings of the people in Trafford: “The council aren’t doing enough to solve the problem at all.”
What Trafford Council says…
A spokesperson for the One Trafford Partnership said: “In 2022/23, we spent more than £4m on repairing potholes and roads so that our roads are safe for motorists and cyclists.
“Over the last two financial years, we have spent almost £5m on more than 300 proactive road repair schemes to protect Trafford’s roads for longer.
“The current programme has seen over 100 completed schemes out of 120 schemes, while more than 200 schemes were completed in 2022/23. More funding from the Government would mean we were able to fix more potholes.”
To find out more about how we look after Trafford’s roads, please visit our website www.trafford.gov.uk/traffordroads.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.