Hastings and Rother pot hole group protest group hits 3,000 members

The group Hastings and Rother Potholes – The Great Zig-Zag Drive, now has more than 3,000 members and is growing all the time.

Jacqueline Patton, who set up the group, said: “We are stronger all the time . So far we have gained some ground, some things we can prove other objectives we have no way of knowing if we had any sway.“We have been mentioned or appeared on the Jeremy Vine show, had front page in the Hastings Observer and have had mentions on other radio tv and media platforms. A Channel 4 Dispatches documentary had interviews with some of us on here. We are now being monitored by East Sussex County Council - that’s when you know you are being taken seriously .“Lots of information has been gained and acted on and some very important letters constructed and sent to people who can change things. Some we are all still awaiting a reply.

It has allowed people to vent their frustration, warn others and help people to claim when they have suffered damage.“This revolution’s wheels are in motion, no pun intended. This page is more than I ever thought it could be .“We are seriously going to have a very public pothole protest and hopefully make a big impact. It is in the stages of planning to make sure we get it right. Thanks everyone for a great journey. The Pothole Revolution will not be stopped.”

An East Sussex Highways spokesperson said: “Since the start of the new East Sussex Highways contract in May 2023, our teams have repaired 2,488 potholes the Hastings area alone. We prioritise repairs to ensure that the potholes presenting the greatest risk are repaired as quickly as possible.

“To repair every pothole on the network regardless of whether it meets our intervention levels would cost about four times the amount currently spent, and would place an even greater burden on council tax payers.

“The majority of our investment in the county’s road network focusses on preventative maintenance such as patching and resurfacing to stop potholes appearing in the first place and we do this by looking at road condition and priorities against the available budget.

“Our highways stewards carry out regular checks on road across the county, but with more than 2,000 miles of carriageway to monitor, we would urge the public to report any defects directly to us at www.eastsussexhighways.com.”

Pictured here are the latest potholes to be avoided in the Hastings and Rother area.

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