After a few weeks of riding into work along a 20m long series of potholes near clapham common and muttering to myself about how someone should do something about it, I fanally decided to pull my finger out and report them myself.
So I googled ‘report a pothole’, found the official government pothole reporting website and set about reporting the shoddy road condition.
First question on the website ‘enter a UK postcode’ - it’s clapham so I figured it’s probably SW4
The website is unhappy with my response ‘enter a FULL Uk postcode’
A full UK postcode, for a pothole? Who the hell knows the postcode of a bit of road, especially if it’s running through the common so there are no buildings next to it.
Bloody useless unless I happen to spot a pothole outside my front door.
I’ve kept reporting a massive one on the junction of the 406 and gunnerbury lane, and their solution was to fill all the holes with loose gravel! which makes traction whilst turning right almost impossible. more dangerous now than it was before.
Fixmystreet is usually very effective and I use it al lthe time. However, sometimes you can report the deteriorating condition of the road in Clapham and absolutly nothing is done. I first reported the problem on Clapham COmmon Southside in October and of course things have just got worse and worse. There are now loads of reports and updates -
If you think a pothole’s dangerous, report it directly to the council using their own website. There was a brutal one where I used to stay that caught me out a couple of times. I reported it, saying on the on-line form that a young kid had almost gone head first over his bicycle’s handlebars because of it and that serious injuries were likely if someone did.
It was filled in the next day!.. Nothing like the possibility of a dead or injured kid and the associated negative publicity and compensation to spur the council in to action.
I phoned the local council. I did not know they name of the road, just the bridge over A40 explained the location.
The girl at the end of the phone line sorted it out. She also found out who was responsible. Something about highways or local government. Not sure how that works.
Filled the next day. Sometimes it’s easier to pick a phone than do things online.
Get a picture of pothole damage of bike and cost to repair. Send it to council. They should pay for the damage. I know a few people that have done this.
