Furious villagers living it the UK’s “Pothole Land” have been forced to erect their own warning due to the horrific state of the roads.
Fed-up residents in the Ceiriog Valley, near Wrexham, are hoping the theme park-style entrance will make people aware of the potentially hazardous road conditions, which they claim are up to ten inches deep.
Drivers say the potholes are leaving them with expensive repair bills and the “elephant traps” are among the “deepest, longest and widest in Wales.” Wrexham councillor Trevor Bates said his 4×4 has faced multiple issues after falling victim to the potholes – leading to some residents even filling the holes in with concrete.
He said: “Two broken springs in a few months cost me £600. This is no joke. Yet Wrexham Council has had to bow to the legal power of the off-road brigade and repair mountain tracks at a cost of thousands – and Welsh Government can find money for a new National Park. With the dire shortage of funding for rural roads I don’t see how any significant improvement will happen in the near future.”
The ‘cosy’ dressing gown Dancing on Ice’s Mollie Pearce is wearing to stay warm on the ice
The banner welcoming residents
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Image:
Cllr Trevor Bates/WALES NEWS SERVICE)
Local residents of Ceiriog Valley labelled the “Pothole Land” entrance as a “brilliant” and “inspired” way of highlighting the issues. One woman said: “Road taxes and council tax astronomical up here. What do we get in return? Forgotten about.”
The National Pothole Day was set-up by campaign group Pothole Partnership which is demanding councils priotitise permanent resurfacing over “patching” – as it can often leading to potholes reappearing. Acccording to the latest figures, the government is spending nearly £1.6billion on road maintenance in England in 2025/26, a huge £500million increase compared to the previous 12 months.
AA president Edmund King said: “The Government is beginning to instigate policies that should lead to longer term fixes rather than the recent patchwork approach.”
Damages to cars have prompted the banner, according to local residents
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Image:
Cllr Trevor Bates/WALES NEWS SERVICE)
However, the amount to bring pothole areas in England and Wales up to scratch is estimated to be a staggering £16.3billion. The Department for Transport has said it will make sure highway authorities “spend the money wisely” and deliver “proactive maintenance” before potholes form.
Furthermore, a quater of the increased funding will be on hold until authorities can demonstrate the money is being put to good use.
Adam Hug, of the Local Government Association, which represents councils, called on the Government to ‘reconsider’ this move, to ‘give councils the greater certainty they need’ He said: “Greater and sustainable long-term funding will enable councils to far more effectively plan for and invest in preventative treatments.’
A Department for Transport spokesman said: “Britain deserves better roads, and it now has a Government that will deliver them.”