Edinburgh's roads blasted as being in a 'shocking state of disrepair' as Pothole Pete rides again for National Pothole Day

A campaign for better cycling conditions also criticised the Capital's roads.
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A senior Tory MSP has blasted Edinburgh’s roads as being in a “shocking state of disrepair” as the Evening News’ roads champion Pothole Pete heads out to mark National Pothole Day.

Miles Briggs, Conservative MSP for Lothian, claimed hundreds of potholes are being reported to Edinburgh City Council every week, some causing “substantial damage”.

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The council spent more than £1.1m on potholes between April 2018 and March 2019, nearly £400,000 more than between April and October this year.

Pothole Pete in his most recent pothole on The Shore in Leith (Photo: TSPL)Pothole Pete in his most recent pothole on The Shore in Leith (Photo: TSPL)
Pothole Pete in his most recent pothole on The Shore in Leith (Photo: TSPL)

But the local authority said they are working "day in day out" to tackle poor road surfaces, and that the 'Beast from the East' was a major reason for higher costs of pothole repairs in 2018.

However, over Christmas the Evening News reported how one pothole between Ratho and Ratho Station stopped three cars in their tracks due to its severity.

'Serious safety hazard'

Mr Briggs said: “Roads in Edinburgh are in a shocking state of disrepair, with hundreds of potholes being reported to the council every week.

Miles Briggs MSPMiles Briggs MSP
Miles Briggs MSP
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“Potholes can cause substantial damage to vehicles, as well as being a serious safety hazard to motorists and cyclists.

“Edinburgh Council spend a considerable amount of money every year on fixing potholes, however proper investment is needed to improve roads in the capital.

“That is why the Scottish Conservatives have pledged £100 million for a Pothole Action Fund, invested over the course of the next parliament, to properly invest in well maintained roads, as part the ‘Save Our Roads’ campaign.”

'Potholes are a menace'

The comments from Mr Briggs came as Spokes, a campaign for better conditions for cyclists in Lothian, branded Edinburgh and the Lothians the “worst in the entirety of the United Kingdom”.

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Professor Chris Oliver, a former orthopaedic trauma surgeon who is also spokesman for Spokes, said potholes can lead to disability or even death in the worst case scenarios.

He said: “Potholes are a menace to both cyclists and car drivers. For a cyclist it may mean a broken wheel or a fall that results in a complex injury or fracture with possibly permanent disability, or even death.

“Motorists may not realise that cyclists may take a wide berth around a muddy puddle because within a puddle there may be a deep concealed pothole that may throw them off.

“When I cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats I cycled through many cities, I was sad to report that the potholes in Edinburgh and Lothian were the worst in the entirety of the United Kingdom.”

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An Edinburgh City Council spokeswoman said: "Keeping our roads and pavements fit for purpose is a key priority for us and I know it’s really important to the public too. Like local authorities across the country we face increasing demands for services, but our roads teams continue to work day in day out to tackle poor and damaged surfaces.

"Over recent years we’ve invested millions in projects to improve road and pavement surfaces, and our proactive approach to fixing potholes has seen the number and severity of defects drop, as well as improving our independently-assessed road condition rating. That said, we know there is still room for improvement, and I’m confident that our ongoing investment in long-term projects and a forward-thinking approach to repairs will help us achieve this."

The total amount the City of Edinburgh Council has spent on repairing potholes between April 2017 and October 2019 is as follows: 1st April 2017 – 30th March 2018 - £776,704.36; 1st April 2018 – 30th March 2019 - £1,161,825.27; 1st April 2019 – 31st October 2019 - £748,983.73