PEOPLE have expressed their frustration over a “crater-sized” pothole which gets repaired every few months but keeps reappearing.

The 4ft by 3ft pothole has been causing damage to cars driving on the road as well as vehicles parked near it.

The crater, which is in Mile Oak Road in Southwick, often shoots out loose stones as cars drive through it and these hit parked cars.

West Sussex County Council, which manages the roads in the area, said it repaired the pothole on Tuesday afternoon but will be assessing the road for a more extensive repair in the near future.

The Argus visited the pothole on Tuesday at noon and spoke to people in the area. The pothole was not repaired at that time but was filled as an emergency measure later in the afternoon.

Signs at each end of the road say it will be closed for one day on January 11, which is next Tuesday. This is for “heavy-duty patching” which should be a more permanent fix to the pothole on Mile Oak Road.

Hilary Reeves, who has lived on the road for the last three years with his wife, said: “I would say every three or four months you get a crater like this, they do come and fill it up but it’s only a sort of bandage or temporary fill in.

The Argus: The giant pothole is 4ft by 3ftThe giant pothole is 4ft by 3ft

“There is a water spring further up the street somewhere which affects this pothole down here. With the amount of traffic that there is going up and down here, it is liable to break up in a short space of time.”

The bottom of Mile Oak Road connects to the busy A270, which heads into London Road, Brighton.

Hilary added: “They do come along and repair it reasonably quickly so I have no complaints in that respect. But again, you know within three or four months it will open up again.

“My wife phoned up one time because a rock hit the back of a car, they’re quite chunky. They often get thrown up and whack the back of the car when cars drive past.”

The Argus: Works are planned for January 11 which could rid of the pothole once and for allWorks are planned for January 11 which could rid of the pothole once and for all

 

A county council spokesman said: “I’m pleased to say the pothole was repaired on Tuesday afternoon (January 4). There have a been a number of pothole repairs in close proximity to this one in Mile Oak Road, Southwick, during the last year.

“Because of its condition, the carriageway will be assessed for more extensive repair, dependent on budget availability. Meanwhile, we will continue to monitor the area.

“West Sussex County Council is responsible for maintaining around 2,500 miles of road. A and B roads are ordinarily inspected monthly, C-class and main distributor roads on a three or six-monthly basis and declassified roads are typically inspected annually.

“Our highways officers cannot be everywhere, so the public’s eyes and help in spotting and reporting concerns are really appreciated via our online pothole reporting form If a pothole is a significant and immediate risk to public safety, phone 01243 642105.”

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