COMMENT: It's good to see decisive action on potholes

DRIVING through the Capital has become a bit more of a challenge over the last couple of months.

Your regular potholes are one thing – but some of the ones that have opened up on countless streets after the rigours of winter are more like mini-craters. It has made the city like an obstacle course for motorists who always have to be ready to swerve at the last minute to avoid coming a cropper. And if the problem is bad for car drivers then it is even more hazardous for cyclists.

There must have been plenty of work for garage mechanics putting right the damage to the damaged tyres and suspensions of those that didn’t manage to swerve in time. You have to wonder what kind of compensation bill the city might get landed with.

It’s not just Edinburgh of course where the roads have suffered as a result of the weather. There have been problems across much of the country.

It is good to see some decisive action being taken in the Capital to tackle the most severe problems before it gets any worse. All road users are sure to see a difference once the pothole patrol completes its work.

If the city can live up to its promise to get it “right first time” then we will have reason to be grateful. This is not something that the council, or anyone else who fills in holes in our roads, has proven successful at in the past. So we will all watch with interest to see how well these latest repairs stand up to the wear and tear that is coming their way.

If the techniques being used by the repair team springing into action right now are better than those used in the past, then we will all be winners.