A council has been accused of wasting taxpayers’ money after painting new white lines on top of deep potholes – instead of filling them in.
Residents of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, had been complaining for months about the amount of holes in the area.
So when they saw workmen from North Yorkshire County Council arrive along Old Barber this week they assumed they were coming to fix the road.
Residents of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, had been complaining for months about the amount of holes in the area
Rather than fill them in, North Yorkshire County Council workers pushed a paint wagon along a junction and painted ‘messy’ white lines through them
But rather than fill in the holes, some of which were 2m long, the workers pushed a paint wagon along a junction and painted ‘messy’ white lines through them instead.
There are also fears that gathered rainwater will excavate the potholes even further, leaving to increased risk for families on the school run.
Now, residents are demanding answers from the Conservative-run county council which last year again pledged to tackle the town’s blighted roads.
Retired HR manager Iris Devlin, 68, said: ‘That is ridiculous isn’t it, painting over the potholes but you’ve got potholes right the way down the road.
‘I believe our local councillor has been on the case but nothing has happened.
‘I would ask about the common sense of it all. I would ask about whether that’s just wasting money.
Locals claim the potholes, some of which are two metres long, have damaged their cars
‘Are they going to come along and do these potholes, that tells me no they aren’t.
‘If they do come and fill in the potholes, they will have to repaint the lines so that’s more money wasted.’
Self-employed Jonathan Young, 55, added: ‘I do think it’s absolutely ridiculous that they’ve wasted money painting white lines on a road that doesn’t need them.
‘The fact they have painted them through the potholes goes to show they really have no intention whatsoever of ever filling in the potholes.
‘There has never been any issues with the road they don’t need to have white lines there it’s a waste of money.
Jonathan Young, 55, said: ‘I do think it’s absolutely ridiculous that they’ve wasted money painting white lines on a road that doesn’t need them’
‘The potholes have been damaging cars. Plus, the fact all the grit and stones that comes out of the potholes goes all over the place.’
A retired headteacher, who does not wish to be named, said: ‘I just think they have got their priorities wrong.
‘Potholes in the road should have been mended before they painted the white lines. The Highways department need to get their priorities sorted out.
‘I have reported in the past and nothing has been done about it. It’s getting to the point where it’s now dangerous.
‘There are lots of young families around and also because we are a low priority in the winter it doesn’t get gritted either.
‘It made the ice even worse because of the potholes. Also, it’s a vicious cycle because the more the water collects in the potholes it excavates the holes even more.’
A North Yorkshire County Council spokesman said: ‘The potholes have not reached a point where they are actionable.
‘The white lines were painted on the road for safety reasons.’