Teen goes ‘fishing’ in town's potholes to highlight poor road conditions
Ben Thornbury, 19, has launched an unusual protest over the state of his town's roads in Wiltshire.
Watch: Teen goes ‘fishing’ in town's potholes to highlight poor road conditions
A teenager has become so frustrated with the state of his local roads that he has started to fish inside the giant potholes as a form of protest.
Ben Thornbury, 19, is hoping his stunt will force authorities to fix the craters around Malmesbury in Wiltshire. He is also calling on North Wiltshire MP James Gray to help out – and has even taken to fishing in a mask of Gray's face.
Thornbury said: "It seems like a plague across the town at the moment and it got much worse due to the winter weather. So many people have reacted in a positive way and told me thanks for raising awareness.
"I've had people honking their horns at me in cars going past to say show support. Lots of residents I've been speaking to say when even when the council do fill them in they just disintegrates and it keeps recurring.
"One of the potholes we went to last week is next to a narrow pavement and fills up with water. School kids go to school with wet trousers when cars go past and splash them. If the potholes were filed in, this wouldn't happen."
Gray responded to the stunt by saying he shared concerns about potholes in Malmesbury and that he often brings them up with the council. He added: "Anyone with a concern about a pothole is welcome to bring it to the attention of my office who will flag them with Wiltshire Council."
Gray said the government was giving the authority a minimum of nearly £82m in additional funding for roads over the next decade. His office added the council have announced the resurfacing of the road where Ben launched the stunt – which they said would "take place shortly".
Councillor Caroline Thomas, cabinet member for transport at Wiltshire Council, said: “We appreciate the concern around the number of potholes in Wiltshire and we are repairing roads as quickly as we can.
She added: “Unfortunately, we’ve seen an increase in potholes across the country due to factors such as recent extreme temperature variations. We encourage people to report any road defects to us using the MyWilts app so that we can programme works on a priority basis, as per our Highways Inspection Manual.”
It is not the first time Thornbury has resorted to such unconventional protest methods. Last year he created a crazy golf course out of the town's potholes - with more than 20 residents turning up to have a go. He also runs a community group to keep his town tidy, which he started when he was 13.
Why does the UK have so many potholes?
The UK is more susceptible to potholes because of its climate. Cold and wet weather, particularly during the winter months, means water can get into cracks in the road and then freeze, eventually leading to potholes. The heavy road use and traffic on the UK's roads is also a factor. Councils also have tight budgets to fix potholes.
How to report potholes?
Anyone who wishes to report a pothole can go to the government's dedicated website for the problem. From there, they will be directed to their local council's pothole reporting service, where they can fill in an online form.
To report the pothole, they need the location of the pothole and details of its size. They must also upload any pictures of the pothole. Councils vow to inspect the area identified within about three to five working days.
If the pothole is on a motorway or an A road then reports should be directed to Highways England. In Wales, roads are managed by Traffic Wales, while potholes in Scotland can be reported at My Gov Scotland. In Northern Ireland, potholes can be reported through the NI Direct website.
How to claim for pothole damage?
The government says motorists may be able to claim compensation if their vehicle is damaged by a road. They should contact the organisation responsible to tell them about the damage, why they think they are responsible and details of where and when the damage was caused.
According to the AA, motorists should start by reporting the pothole to their local authority. After having their car repaired, they may be able to claim compensation from the council.
Motorists should inform the council of the location of the pothole and include details of quotes, invoices and receipts for their repairs. If the claim is rejected, motorists can appeal.
