National Pothole Day: local election candidate's pothole patrol in Hastings

Hastings, UK – In light of National Pothole Day, Liam Atkins, the Conservative Candidate for Baird Ward in the upcoming Hastings Borough Council elections in May, has taken on his own 'Pothole Patrol' to address the rampant pothole issues impacting local roads in and around his ward.

This initiative comes in the wake of a staggering report released today by the AA, revealing that pothole damage to vehicles has cost an enormous £474 million in the past year, the highest in five years, with 631,852 pothole-related incidents recorded in 2023.

"Like you, I'm fed up with potholes dominating our roads," said Councillor Candidate Liam Atkins. "It's a daily struggle to avoid them, and the damage they inflict on our vehicles is undeniable. While potholes are the responsibility of the County Council, it's still my job to find, report and chase their repairs".

During his Pothole Patrol, Liam Atkins identified a shocking 178 potholes across Baird ward, ranging from deteriorating road surfaces on Hoads Wood Road to sinkholes on Elphinstone Road, emphasises the need for more road repairs on this side of the county, especially along arterial roads like The Ridge.

"East Sussex County Council recently added an extra £15.7 million to their highways budget, on top of the annual £20.2 million they already spend on carriageways; so funding isn't the only key to getting potholes in your area sorted."

"What makes a real difference is keeping the pressure on and chasing the repairs", Liam Atkins added. "It took a while, but taking note of every single pothole in my ward gives me a much clearer picture of the pothole situation in Baird; I will continue to work with our County Council team to ensure these issues are reported and sorted as soon as possible".