by Rebecca Hannant
Residents in South Holderness are calling for urgent investment after reporting numerous potholes and uneven roads.
James Marshall and Matt Wright say that roads in Sunk Island and on the main route into Ottringham have suffered from severe under-investment and poor-quality patchwork. They fear nearby homes and vehicles may be damaged because of the number of potholes and sunken, uneven roads, as well as heavy vehicles driving too fast for the conditions.
James said: “My main concern is that this is a school bus route. There are major potholes just outside here, and every time the bus goes by, the house rattles. Many of these areas have very shallow foundations, so over time, the road could just collapse. That’s my concern: the buses and the poor road conditions are doing no favours.”
The pair identified several potholes outside their homes in Village Road and say that despite repair work, the tarmac has broken, and the potholes have once again filled with rainwater. James joked that the latest repair was “one of the worst I have ever seen”.
James added: “Every attempt to patch the potholes is just a temporary gesture, nothing substantial gets done. For example, a week or so ago, they came down, broke the ice in the potholes, filled them with tarmac while still wet, and left.
“If the road were properly tarmacked and maintained, the bus wouldn’t be a problem. The damage is extensive, and just filling potholes isn’t enough. The road needs to be fully resurfaced.”
Matt pointed to the fact that the roads were last resurfaced in 1983, saying the issue falls far beyond a few potholes, and that extensive work needs to be done to sort out the uneven roads in Sunk Island and Ottringham.
He added: “The main road from here to Ottringham was last resurfaced in 1983 when the riverbank was raised. Nothing has been done since. Heavy farm vehicles, including 44-ton lorries, travel on this road, which has completely subsided. When driving a tractor with a trailer, the trailer can go one way and the tractor the other. It’s very dangerous.
“The road is so bad that for certain sections, you have to drive on the opposite side to avoid potholes, putting you in oncoming traffic. Because of the severe subsidence, pulling in for other vehicles is dangerous.
“Even for four-wheel drives like mine, I must slow almost to a stop to avoid damage. The problem isn’t just potholes – it’s that the road has completely subsided. Filling potholes is ineffective. What’s needed is a full resurfacing.”
A spokesman for East Riding Council said: “Managing roads in the rural parts of Holderness is not an easy task and one we are attempting to address making the best use of the funding we have.
“Many of the roads in this area were not built for the heavy farm vehicles and lorries that now use them, and this adds to the challenge.
“We are investigating making improvements to roads in the Sunk Island area in the next two years, but in the short term we have to rely on remedial pothole repairs to ensure roads remain safe for drivers, until a more permanent solution can be carried out.
“We ask that motorists adjust their driving to suit the road and traffic conditions.”