Labour council concedes there is a massive pothole problem following Lib Dem campaign

Labour run Haringey Council has admitted that there is a major problem with potholes in the Haringey following the local Lib Dem campaign to get the borough’s pothole ridden roads fixed. The admission comes after months of campaigning by the Lib Dems and a recent horrific case of a man left with brain injuries after falling over a pothole in Haringey.

The opposition Lib Dems have repeatedly raised concerns that local roads are in a terrible state with many in need of urgent repair. They recently sent a list of 41 damaged roads to the council demanding they were repaired or resurfaced urgently. So far the council has not said whether the roads will be fixed or not.

Now the Labour council has admitted there is a serious problem with pothole repairs and that their current policy of not fixing potholes until they are 6cm deep and leaving deeper potholes for up to a month before fixing them is failing.  Neighbouring boroughs like Camden fill potholes that are half as deep (3cms).  The council has now admitted in a new paper that their current policy risks further compensation claims, saying “the current (pothole) intervention levels...are at the limit of what is acceptable should the council have to defend an injury or claim.”

The council has suddenly decided to change these policies and try to fix more potholes. They have announced that there will be a 6 months trial of a new system of dealing with potholes with more inspections and faster repairs.  Potholes will now be filled in within 7 days rather then up to 28 days after they have been inspected.  Roads will also be inspected more regularly; presently 92% of local roads are only inspected once every 6 months.

Haringey Liberal Democrats have welcomed the Labour council's sudden u-turn on potholes, which includes proposals for more inspections, lower intervention levels and quicker response times.  However, Lib Dem councillors have questioned how quickly Labour will be able to tackle the large build-up of potholes caused by the current policy of ignoring many potholes and not resurfacing roads often enough.

The changes to the repair system will be approved at a Cabinet Member Signing meeting next Monday (20th May).

Cllr Jim Jenks, Lib Dem spokesperson for the Environment, comments:

“Finally the Labour council have admitted the error of their ways. It is a shame it has taken them so long to realise what local residents have know for a long time, that roads in the borough are in a terrible state because the council takes so long to fix potholes.

“It is common sense that if you leave a pothole unrepaired for weeks it will get bigger, be more expensive to fix and more likely to injure someone or cause damage to cars. What is surprising is how long it has taken the council to recognise this.”

Cllr Richard Wilson, Lib Dem Opposition Leader, comments:

“This report clearly shows the Labour council does not have a clue. How on earth can it have taken them so long to realise that repairing dangerous potholes as soon as possible is absolutely sensible?

“Local residents pay the 5th highest council tax in London and should have some of the best maintained roads, instead they have to use ones that are ridden with potholes and crumbling. We identified 41 roads in need of urgent repair and have been campaigning hard to get them fixed. 

"This is a welcome admission that the current system of ignoring potholes and hoping they go away is not working and making our roads dangerous.  However I worry that the council has allowed our roads to get into such a terrible state that it will take many months before the potholes are fixed - and that is many more months of cars and bikes being damaged and residents risking injury.

"Haringey Lib Dems will press the Labour council to fix these potholes as quickly as possible.”

Could anyone recommend anywhere to have jewellery repaired in the area or failing that, not so nearby?

I've got a gold/silver ring which needs some minor repairs, but I've got absolutely no idea where to take it!

Stapleton Hall
http://www.hornseyjournal.co.uk/hornsey-life/letters/stapleton_hall_memories_1_679156

Stroud Green's "Green"
http://www.hornseyjournal.co.uk/news/peace_garden_will_remember_victims_of_wartime_bomb_1_723610

We are (well, Finsbury Park is) a 'rapidly improving area'. The cafe of stilted conversation looks like Moka; can't figure out where the flats are.

I'm producing a show tomorrow evening (at the Lion & Unicorn in Kentish Town, if anyone'd like to come), and I need to get approx 80 programmes photocopied today.

I won't make it to the really cheap printers in Farringdon in time, so I wondered if anyone could recommend where's cheapest for lots of photocopying nearby?

• the default category for new posts is now the Book Club. There is now an ever-increasing number of posts in this category which have nothing to do with the book club

• I can't write posts anymore with an iPad; the the text editor doesn't seem to support iPads, although it's fine with an iPhone.

http://thehornseyroad.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/clever-mikes-hidden-bikes.html?m=1

The Railway is moving to another pub venue locally so the Gooner party spirit will live on but sadly not close to the station. Get ready for a mad opening party tho.

Chang

Wonder if we've reached peak cafe at that corner.

I think its a helpful service to those without a car who need a flexible transport option, but given the restrictions placed on residents for the number of permanent permits they are allowed, and how much they have to pay for the privilege i'm interested to see how they got them all. The council is meant to be encouraging us all to use public transport, yet they must have ok'd the additional vehicles. If you also follow the "green" argument that is presented by the council for the steep permit fees, then how is allowing an additional 7 polluting vehicles a green initiative?

Can anyone shed any light?

A new bus only lane which is  about 10 foot long has appeared in the middle of the road near to Drayton Park Station.  They have even  taken  away the cycle lane  to put it in.

I wonder if this is another "traffic calming"  Islington Council money spinner or is there  going to be  a bus route on Drayton Park ?

It looks  like a stupid waste of Islington money