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Ballyclare drivers encounter pothole problems

Wednesday, 3 February 2010

LOCAL drivers have contacted the Ballyclare Gazette to warn fellow motorists about the dangers of potholes left on local roads after the recent big freeze which has hit the province over the past few weeks.
The snow and ice have increased the problem of potholes on country roads in and around Ballyclare. Some of the worst areas highlighted to the Gazette include the Ballyrobert Road and some of the smaller roads between Ballyclare and Doagh.
One motorist contacted the Gazette after severely damaging their tyre and alloy as a result of hitting a deep pothole on the Ballyrobert Road whilst travelling home in the direction of Ballyclare.
Rob Hall was left almost £200 out of pocket getting a new tyre and repairing his alloy. He told me that he will be seeking compensation from Roads Service for this unwanted expenditure.
Rob said: "I was driving home along the Ballyrobert Road in the direction of Ballyclare last week. It was dark and had been raining quite heavily so the hole wasn't visible to me.
“As I was driving along the car shuttered as if I had hit something and I actually bounced up in my seat. I pulled over to the side of the road and got out to inspect what had happened. As it was dark I couldn't see clearly but I used the light from my mobile and I noticed a large ragged part of the road. As I got closer I could see that it was a large pot hole that was filled with rain water which had prevented me from being able to see it.
“I was wearing heavy boots so I decided to see how deep it actually was. I could basically fit half of my foot in it. It gave me a bit of a scare to be honest and I was extremely careful driving the rest of the way home".
However Rob's problem's didn't end there. "When I came out the next morning to go to work I noticed the car was sitting t a strange angle. As I walked round I realised I had a flat tyre and my alloy was cracked.
“Thankfully my wife was off work so I borrowed her car. I took the tyre and alloy to be repaired and the guy in the garage told me this was all they had seen this past few weeks.
“I have receipts for everything I got done and I fully intend to claim compensation for the money I have been out on this. I pay my car tax and the least you expect for that is decent roads to drive on."
A DRD Roads Service spokesperson said work has now begun to inspect road surfaces.
“The inspection process has just started again and it will be some time before staff will get around all roads"" a spokesperson commented.
With the big freeze having already swallowed much of Roads Service's winter maintenance budget, the next big headache and cost will be patching up the damage to local roads.
Over the past five years the Department of Regional Development has paid out over £350,000 in compensation to drivers who have damaged their cars on potholed roads.
After several weeks which have been described as the "coldest period in over 30 years" this years figures are bound to break new records.

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