Star readers share frustrations of St Helens' potholes

Blamed on record temperatures, wet weather, heavy traffic, and cuts to council funding, rising potholes are not just an issue felt in St Helens as more than one million potholes were reported to UK councils in 2023.

However, frustration has grown as the number of road defects rose to a six-year high across the borough last year.

Figures shared by St Helens Council show that the number of reported potholes fell from 1,230 in 2018 to 785 in 2020, but then steadily increased to around 1,700 last year.

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With the number of reported potholes has risen in recent years, the council said this can be a challenge due to the "massive cuts" to the highways maintenance budget, stated to be over 60 percent since 2010. 

A funding boost of £524k from the Department of Transport was approved in St Helens last year, and the council says its highway teams "go to great lengths with the resources available to us to ensure our network is maintained to as high a standard as possible."

The council has also highlighted a number of road projects it had organised in recent years, such as the signalised CYCLOPS junction at Lea Green, toucan crossing on Merton Bank Road/Islands Brow, and speed limit reductions and signage on St Helens Linkway and Rainford Bypass.

Despite the council's efforts, the growing number of potholes has inevitably increased frustration for residents across the borough.

Depending on their severity, the defects can cause injuries to pedestrians and cyclists as well as potentially serious damage to vehicles.

With the pothole debate being sparked online this month, here is a collection of Star readers' thoughts on the issue:

In a letter to the Star, one reader said: "After driving around on the town’s roads it’s no surprise [of the number of potholes] - but it’s not just the amount that’s the issue, it’s the severity of them.

"I regularly head up and down Rivington Road and they are down to the cobbles. 

"You do wonder what impact it is having on some cars. By all accounts, this a national issue with many towns and cities the same. Roads are basic infrastructure - we pay our taxes and expect them to be right."

On the Star website, Portico Prowler said: "The roads are joke around here. I've gone through two £200 tyres in the last two months thanks to damage from the road."

'The High Street' user commented: "Roads are atrocious. They need fully resurfaced in most places - becoming an absolute patchwork of repairs."

On Facebook, Janet Thompson said: "The state of many roads are a disgrace!"

Sharon Jones wrote: "The potholes are terrible. I ended up going over one the other day. No wonder my tyres are knackered all the time and I have to keep repairing them or getting new ones. Maybe I should send my bill to the council."

Paul Gerard Cleaver commented: "I wonder why am I paying my road tax, and we have these disgraceful roads especially round here, and they are getting worse day by day, and nothing is getting done about it, and it's not good for our cars."

Susan Smith wrote: "The roads are a disgrace in this borough, I’ve no idea why this can’t be a major concern, nothing seems to be going on to rectify the problems."

Phoenix Jade Smith-Brain said: "My suspension is knackered because of all the massive potholes everywhere."

Tasha Sweeney said: "Boardmans Lane is a joke on the bend at Blackbrook Rugby Club and can’t avoid them because of opposite traffic and cars being parked on the corner."

Neil Morrell said: "They are terrible all over the borough. They patch them up but it doesn't help for long."

Paul Okeefe commented: "My car and my wife's was damaged by pot holes, mine broke a wheel and the wife's ripped a tyre, both not a cheap fix."

Stephen Ynwa said: "It's not just cars that are impacted, I've seen so many people fall and injured themselves just trying to get across."

Residents can report potholes and road defects to the council here, or by calling 01744 676789.