'˜Potholes so bad we've fixed some ourselves'

Ian Haybittle with some of the road repairs by his business

Leighton Road near Stanbridge hit the headlines earlier this year when 26-year-old motorcyclist Matthew Hallam died in a tragic collision on March 31.

At the time, nearby Glen Transport said the road was an accident blackspot and slated Central Bedfordshire Council for not enforcing road safety measures such as a reduced speed limit.

Now, the company has hit out at the council again following another accident on the road last Wednesday – and claim the road surface is littered with potholes.

Ian Haybittle said: “We’ve rang the council time and time again about this and they do nothing. The road surface is appalling.”

Mr Haybittle said the company has now taken matters into its own hands and filled in potholes close to their yard.

“We have done all the ones in the entrance to the yard, and they’re withstanding lorries weighing 40 tonnes.

“We’re using driveway repair tarmac and putting it down properly – rather than throw two shovel loads of tarmac down and stamp on it.

“I think they are using substandard materials.”

Company director Wayne Hattle added: “It’s just a poor surface. They keep making temporary repairs by stamping a lump of tarmac in the ground, it’s useless.”

Mr Hattle claimed the repairs often lasted only a week and reiterated calls for the road to be made safer, with improved markings and reducing the 60mph speed limit.

A Central Beds Council spokesman said: “We sent an engineer out to the site to investigate and at this moment in time there are no problems which warrant repair.”

The spokesman then pointed the finger at Glen Transport.

“There is some minor deterioration caused by the stress of their heavy vehicles turning in and out. We will continue to monitor it via our regular planned inspections.

“We will where cost effective in a call out to a potentially dangerous location use an expensive material that can be carried on a van in sealed buckets ‘and doesn’t require compaction by roller or wacker plate’.”

Mr Haybittle rejected the CBC explanation and likened the potholes along Leighton Road as being “like tramlines”.