A Conservative council is under fire following a massive pothole incident that left dozens of vehicles damaged despite promising to prioritise “improving our roads” in the wake of scrapping local elections.
Suffolk County Council is one of the 30 authorities which cancelled the vote in May over claims that county reorganisation made it too expensive, time-consuming and complicated to organise.
In the wake of the announcement, council leader Matthew Hicks said the cancellation would allow the authority to focus on highway repairs.
However, a 5ft-long, 5in-deep crater on a busy road between Bungay and Beccles caused widespread disruption, with motorists suffering punctured tyres and bent wheel rims on the 50mph stretch.
The hazard remained inadequately addressed for two days, marked only by a few orange cones while drivers were forced into oncoming traffic to avoid it.
Located near Deer Row at Mettingham, the pothole was flagged to Suffolk Highways through at least eight online reports on Monday alone.
Suffolk Constabulary confirmed officers were dispatched to the scene at 5.36pm after numerous vehicles hit the water-filled crater, with many drivers pulling over due to punctures.
Police placed cones and warning signs to alert approaching motorists.
A Tory council has been slammed after 30 cars were damaged despite cancelling local elections to ‘fix potholes’
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Julie Kenny, a 53-year-old carer from Halesworth, struck the hazard at around 5.30pm on Monday, puncturing her Suzuki’s front left tyre.
“There were as many as 20 or 30 cars that had to stop after going through it,” she said, adding that she contacted police, fearing a motorcyclist could be seriously injured.
Jordan Hindes, who previously served as Bungay’s mayor, was among those caught out by the water-filled hazard on Monday evening.
The 32-year-old electronics engineer recounted driving his Kia Ceed when he suddenly heard “two really great bangs” before pulling over alongside roughly a dozen other stranded motorists.
Suffolk County Council is one of the 30 authorities which cancelled the vote in May over claims that county reorganisation made it too expensive, time-consuming and complicated to organise
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“It was a mammoth pothole,” Mr Hindes explained, describing the scene as “a real s***show” with multiple recovery vehicles and police eventually arriving to assist.
Mr Hindes voiced particular frustration at the cancelled elections, arguing that without the opportunity to vote, residents cannot hold the council accountable.
“It is frustrating that I don’t have the chance to vote them out,” he told The Telegraph.
A council spokesman said the defect was reported on Monday evening, inspected and made safe before being repaired urgently.
Nigel Farage has pledged to scrap the law that allowed local elections to be cancelled
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“We appreciate how frustrated road users are about potholes,” the spokesman said.
“The team is working hard during what is the busiest time of year to inspect and repair potholes and other defects across the 4,000 miles of road we are responsible for.”
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who had previously “declared war” on potholes, has vowed to scrap the law that allowed local authorities to cancel elections due to be held in May.
On February 19 and 20, a legal challenge launched by the party to oppose the move will be heard in court.
Councils across the country were offered the chance to request a postponement by submitting a request to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Steve Reed.