Residents travelling along Weston Road, Main Street and Swarkestone Road may be aware of ongoing concerns about the condition of the carriageway. Cllr Daniel Corbin has raised a number of issues following recent repair works and is calling for greater transparency and higher standards.
The matter arose after Charlotte Hill (Reform UK), Cabinet Member for Highways, outlined how potholes are meant to be inspected and repaired. According to that explanation, routine inspections should identify defects, repairs should be completed to an appropriate standard, work teams should operate “fence-to-fence” addressing multiple issues in one visit, and preventative maintenance should be taking place.
However, after visiting the road himself and reviewing photographic evidence, Cllr Corbin believes the situation on the ground tells a different story.
What Residents Are Seeing
From Swarkestone through Weston to Aston, photographs taken along the route show:
- Potholes reportedly left untreated
- Patch repairs that are already deteriorating
- Standing water collecting in areas that have supposedly been repaired
- Wider surface failure beyond a very small section of resurfaced road
Cllr Corbin argues that this does not reflect “fence-to-fence” working, nor does it demonstrate meaningful preventative maintenance. He has described the current condition as falling short of what residents should reasonably expect.
Questions Raised with Highways
In a formal written response sent this week, Cllr Corbin has asked highways officers to clarify:
- What specific works were instructed
- What works were formally signed off as complete
- The standards against which the repairs were assessed
- Why the wider deterioration previously highlighted was not addressed
He has also offered to walk the full stretch of road with officers to review the issues in person, emphasising that the priority should be practical outcomes rather than political debate.
Call for Leadership
Cllr Corbin has expressed concern at what he describes as a lack of visible challenge or explanation from the areas Reform UK County Councillor, Alan Graves who happens to also be the Leader of the Council. Particularly given the safety implications of deteriorating road surfaces for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians.
He maintains that effective representation requires consistent follow-up and evidence-based scrutiny when standards fall short.
Ongoing Commitment
Cllr Corbin has reaffirmed his commitment to:
- Inspecting issues in person
- Challenging substandard work
- Putting concerns and evidence in writing
- Following up until problems are properly resolved
Photographs and correspondence have been shared publicly so residents can review the evidence and draw their own conclusions.
Residents with further concerns about this or other highways issues are encouraged to make contact so that they can be raised directly with the relevant department.
