Major potholes and road erosion

by Markchambers

28 Jan 2012

I always use this route to take my youngest child to school and the road has been getting worse and worse for a long time.

The road is known in the area for being in poor condition but I have no option of bypassing it as I have two children who go to different schools at either ends of this road.

The problem with this road is firstly due to its elevation it is very open to the weather and regularly get ice and snow in the winter months (even when the local village of Holmfirth has none at all).
The road is also a national speed limit road which has no central white lines or footpath and kerbs of any description.
The road is quite narrow at the best of times but due to the road erosion and potholes drivers are forced to drive in the centre of the road as much as possible which will one day cause a high speed major accident in my opinion.
On the day I damaged my car, I was collecting my daughter from school but as I was heading up scholes moor road I was forced to take evasive action because of a large van coming towards me, I was travelling at approximately 40mph, I steered to the near side of the road as much as I could to give us both room to pass safely but in doing so ran over a part of the road which had eroded and broken up, there was a big bang as the suspension dropped down the broken up road but I thought nothing of it as this is quite a common occurrence on this road. On collecting my daughter from school and setting off again, I noticed the car didn't feel right, the steering was heavy and there was a rubber burning smell! I got out of the car to see the passenger front tyre completely flat. I had to call out a mobile tyre company to change the wheel and inspect the car for any further damage, fortunately it was only the tyre that was damaged (and the wheel is now buckled, but I was told it balances up ok so shouldn't be a problem), this came to the song of £90 including vat.
The thing that annoys me the most is I had just had brand new winter tyres fitted in November and now I had to buy another due to the road surface (which I pay my road tax to keep maintained).
Yes I know it only cost me £90 to have it sorted out and I know others have bills of hundreds of pounds but it's the principle that annoys me.