'˜Serious' fears for road safety

Councillor Lee Anderson, who represents Huthwaite on Ashfield District Council, said he has repeatedly contacted staff at the county authority asking them to meet him to discuss dangerous roads.

But after flagging up numerous issues with Via East Midlands, which manages highways on behalf of the county authority, he said he was snubbed by managers.

In a response to Coun Anderson, district manager Dave Walker said: “Via will respond only to requests from county councillors and not district councillors, who have no authority in this area.

“All issues of this nature must be reported to the county councillor for the division, who will take up the enquiry.”

Speaking after the response from Via, Coun Anderson said: “If I see anymore bodged potholes in my ward I will be reporting them to Rogue Traders. It’s not good enough, someone will have to suffer a serious injury or even die before they do anything.”

Coun Anderson has mentioned three sites in particular where incidents have recently occurred, the Columbia Street/Cross Lane junction, Chesterfield Road/Strawberry Bank junction and Woodend Bridge.

He said: “As a tax payer and a councillor I am asking Via to come meet me and residents.”

He also raised concerns about how the roads in Huthwaite are used as short cuts for the MI.

He said: “Lorries use Huthwaite as a rat run. It is putting strain on the roads, they are very busy roads for a small village.

“We need traffic infrastructures or a different lay out. If a pot hole is repaired it needs to stay repaired. We do not need anymore patch jobs.”

The county council are yet to make further comment about the roads.