Repairs begins on problem potholes

Work is under way to find and fill in problem potholes in the Black Country, which have worsened during this month's big freeze.

The region's roads have taken a battering thanks to ice and snow and councils have vowed to tackle the problem – much to the relief of the many motorists who have been left out of pocket because of car damage.

Workers were out on the A454 The Keyway in Willenhall yesterday to fill in a pothole which had caused damage to at least two cars in the space of just a few minutes.

Eral Anderson, of Ettingshall, Wolverhampton, regularly drives along the Keyway to visit his girlfriend who lives in Willenhall. He was travelling along the road on Monday night when his front left tyre hit the pothole. He said his wheel buckled and his alloy was dented- causing £350 of damage to his Mazda RX8.

Mr Anderson, captain of Wolverhampton Rugby Club, said he had seen the same thing happen to another driver just moments earlier.

The 36-year-old said: "Thankfully, I was only going about 40 mph. Any faster and the damage could have been a lot worse.

"My car started veering to the left."

He added: "Five yards in front of me there was a lady who did exactly the same thing. Her left front wheel had also buckled."

Mr Anderson reported the problem to Walsall Council that evening and the crumbling pot hole was filled in the next day.

Glyn Oliver, Walsall Council service manager for traffic and transportation, said: "We were notified about this pothole on Monday and arranged for it to be infilled as quickly as possible and this work took place on Tuesday morning."

More than 100 potholes will be filled in on roads in the Walsall borough as a hit squad from contractors Tarmac get to work and the Black Country Route and the Keyway had already been identified as one of the worst-hit roads.

Councils across the Black Country and Staffordshire admitted the cold snap had caused more damage to roads.

The A4124 Wednesfield Road, between the city centre and New Cross Hospital, had crumbled badly during the big freeze.