Delays to fixing potholes across Renfrewshire have been blasted as “horrendous” after the longest period to fix a section of road was almost a YEAR.
The figures, which were released in a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, revealed that it took 346 days during the 2023/2024 financial year to fill one in.
It is an almost two-month increase from the previous longest period of time in 2022/23 which was reportedly 299 days.
James MacLaren, a Scottish Conservative and Unionist councillor for Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Langbank, has been involved in his fair share of road repair dealings.
The Paisley Daily Express previously told how the councillor had been “fighting for years” to repair the craters in Bishopton’s Renshaw Road which had been a source of frustration for residents. It has since been sorted out.
But Councillor MacLaren was staggered that there was a pothole problem lasting almost a calendar year.
“I would be pulling my hair out if I was that councillor chasing up that pothole,” he said. “I think that’s horrendous. It sounds similar to the flood on the A761 just outside Bridge of Weir and I know I have been chasing that one up trying to get it fixed.
“Trying to chase up the potholes does require residents to be quite proactive, too. I will request potholes to be fixed so, unless I am there, I assume that they have been repaired.
“It is difficult at times as I can’t be everywhere at once. I would urge anyone that sees a pothole to go on to the council’s website and report it to ensure it gets fixed.”
The FoI, which was submitted by the Scottish Liberal Democrats, was sent to all 32 local authorities asking for the total compensation paid out for pothole claims in every year since 2019/20.
Of those that responded, the party uncovered that £4.265 million has been paid over the past four years across the whole of Scotland. Renfrewshire Council has shelled out £145,741 with East Renfrewshire stumping up £22,809.
Will Mylet, independent councillor for Paisley East and Central, believes it costs the local authority more money not to fix potholes than it does to repair them.
“We know that potholes must be fixed in a reasonable amount of time,” he said. “I never understood what a ‘reasonable’ amount of time is. But if it is not fixed quickly, then people who burst a tyre on it can claim the money back from the council.
“Leaving it for a long period of time leaves the council open to having to pay out more money. It would cost them more to not fix it than to fix it.”
A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “When a pothole is reported to us, we send an inspector out to assess it and then arrange for it to be repaired as soon as possible.
“There has been continuous improvement in our roads in recent years, with them being assessed as well above the Scottish average.
“We have completed 97 per cent of pothole repairs in Renfrewshire within the appropriate timeline.
“We recognise the importance of providing a road network which is fit for purpose and safe for all road users. This year we invested £5 million in our roads and footway programme which adds to the £6.7m allocated last year – meaning almost £12m is being invested in our roads network over a two-year period.”
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