Fed-up pensioner plays golf in the 121 potholes on his road
Retired engineer Stephen Aylen, 66, claims his efforts to get the council to repair the road in Essex have been “fruitless."
A pensioner frustrated with the number of potholes on his road has decided to start playing golf in them.
Stephen Aylen, 66, says there are “121 road defects and potholes” in the area in Woodside, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex.
The retired engineer and ex-councillor claims his efforts to get Southend Council to repair the public road have been “fruitless."
Aylen was so fed up that he got out his golf clubs on Wednesday and started playing a round to highlight the condition of the milelong road built in 1956.
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Aylen said: “It was a nice morning for a spot of golf, and why travel to a course when I have so many holes right outside my house.
“It’s not only this road, the whole area is littered with potholes and no matter what it seems the council refuses to fix them.
“To us residents, we feel like the council is sticking two fingers up at us.
"Motorists are having to swerve round them.
"Some of the potholes would take a tyre out it creates noise for the residents with people slowing and accelerating to avoid them.
"Stones are thrown up from the potholes and hit cars scratched them and hitting residents."
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Aylen and other residents are also unhappy that the council has contracted work to replace paving stone pavements on the road before fixing the potholes.
Southend-on-Sea independent councillor Steven Wakefield, responsible for highways, transport and parking, said residents should report road defects or roads that need resurfacing.
He added: “We prioritise repair and resurfacing works by going through a strict quality check in line with the council’s procedure, which is based on various risks, and in accordance with the Highways Code of Practice.
“This procedure considers various items including road condition, bus routes, key routes, claims made, incidents, and flood risk.”
After Mr Aylen's golf protest close-to-home golfing hobby some of the pot-hole were "patch-fixed."
