Long and Bumpy Road To Recovery

4.30.22pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 15th Sep 2004

Roads in Bedford and Kempston look set for a bumpy future following the release of findings by local Liberal Democrats that show under present funding levels it would take almost 100 years to resurface Bedford and Kempstons roads.

Bedford Borough Council has just released a priority list for road Surfacing for the forthcoming year. Under current funding levels 3.78 kilometres of road is set to be repaired. This accounts for just 1.08% of the total road covered by the agency area agreement, whereby the County Council allocates funding to the borough to cover road improvements. With the total agency area covering 349.849 kilometres it would take over 92 years for all our roads to be tackled.

Michael Headley and Myrtle Stewardson surveying potholes

Lib Dem Roads Campaigner Myrtle Stewardson commented:

"I've written to the County Council time and again demanding that more is done to repair the condition of local roads and pointing out areas which are severely pot-holed. Local residents have had enough of having to take their life in their hands every time they get behind the wheel. Currently around 1% of local roads are being improved a year!

There are roads that haven't been resurfaced in over 50 years and are in a very poor state of repair. This is appalling but looks insignificant when you consider they might have to wait another 92 years before they benefit from improvement. What are people supposed to do until then? It's the same as if todays roads had been left unchanged since the Titanic sank."

Lib Dem Group Leader Michael Headley added:

" The condition of local roads is dreadful. We know that people's cars are being damaged because of the state of the roads and they can be seriously dangerous for cyclists. It's vital that this problem is tackled now, or we store up even greater problems for the future.

People only have to look at their roads now to realise what state they will be in when they are only to be resurfaced every 100 years. This news shows how little the County Council is prepared to spend on making local roads safe. They need to get their priorities sorted out. Without more funding the future for many local roads looks very bumpy indeed."

ENDS