Graham has taken residents’ concerns about potholes directly to East Riding of Yorkshire Council after local people named the roads they believe need urgent attention.
Graham met Councillor Paul West, East Riding Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, and senior highways officers to raise concerns sent in through his potholes survey and hear how the Council is handling repairs.
Residents told Graham that potholes are damaging cars, making roads more dangerous for motorcyclists and cyclists, and leaving people frustrated when the same holes keep getting worse.
Roads raised include village roads in Aldbrough and Sproatley, routes around Hedon, Patrington, Withernsea, Sunk Island and Ottringham, and rural lanes connecting villages such as Lelley, Humbleton, Welwick and Walkington.
Graham is campaigning for motorists in Beverley and Holderness because, in a rural constituency, driving is not a luxury. It is how people get to work, take children to school, run farms, keep businesses moving and stay connected to local services.
In recent months he has campaigned on poor road surfaces, pushed for action on Sunk Island Road and Brick Road, opposed the planned fuel duty rise, challenged the council tax pressure facing East Riding families, and raised the case of Long Riston Services after its sharp business rates rise.
The Council explained that East Riding has a large rural road network to maintain, much of it carrying heavier traffic than it was built for. Winter weather has also caused serious damage, with water getting into cracks, freezing and breaking up the road surface.
Graham said the most important thing residents can do is report dangerous potholes officially to East Riding Council. If a pothole is not reported, residents cannot assume the Council knows about it.
Once it is reported, it is in the system and can be inspected, assessed and prioritised.
Graham is also asking residents to fill in his potholes survey so he can pass named roads to the Council, ask for updates and press for answers on where they sit in the repair or resurfacing programme.
Residents can report potholes directly to East Riding Council at: https://www.eastriding.gov.uk/url/report-a-pothole/
Residents can fill in Graham’s survey at: www.grahamstuart.com/Potholes
Graham said: “Potholes are not a joke.
“They damage people’s cars, make roads more dangerous for cyclists and motorcyclists, and can increase the risk of accidents if drivers are forced to swerve around them.
“I have taken residents’ concerns directly to East Riding Council and asked what is being done about the roads people have named through my survey.
“I am campaigning for motorists in Beverley and Holderness because driving is not a luxury in a rural constituency like ours. It is how people get to work, take children to school, run farms, keep businesses moving and stay connected to local services.
“The Council has a huge rural road network to maintain, and it is doing so despite a real-terms cut in funding from central government.
“But people in Beverley and Holderness work hard, pay their council tax and expect a reasonable service in return.
“The Council’s advice is clear. If there is a dangerous pothole, report it officially. If you do not report it, you cannot assume the Council knows about it or that anything will be done.
“Then tell me too.
“I will pass named roads and locations to the Council, ask for updates, and press for answers on where they sit in the repair or resurfacing programme.
“People do not expect every road to be resurfaced overnight.
“But they do expect to know that when they report a problem, it means something.”
