A MULTI-MILLION pound cash injection which promised to improve Barnsley roads’ pothole-ridden surfaces has ‘fixed’ the problem, highways bosses have claimed.
Last year’s ‘harsh’ winter ravaged surfaces and a £20.4m investment was made as a result through the council’s accelerated ‘highways capital programme’.
Resurfacing work has been completed on key town centre roads including Westway, Townend roundabout, Sackville Street, Dodworth Road, Keresforth Hall Road and Victoria Road.
Similar schemes elsewhere have improved Spark Lane in Mapplewell, Dearne Hall Road in Barugh Green, Sheffield Road in Springvale and Carlton’s crossroads.
Safety improvements, long called for by residents on Burton Road in Monk Bretton, have also been completed, which includes a series of ‘speed cushions’ and other features, have been installed to reduce vehicle speeds and improve road safety at Burton Road.
A further £19m is set to be invested into the town’s highways network in 2024/25.
Coun James Higginbottom, cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways, said: “As a council we are dedicated to improving our roads and transport infrastructure and last year’s £20m investment as part of our accelerated highways programme has done just that over the last financial year.
“This programme has fixed our roads, invested in our communities and unlocked economic opportunities across Barnsley and we look forward to seeing further investment in future years.
“I’d like to put on record my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to our highways team for their exceptional efforts over the year, working overnight and in all conditions to complete the work.
“Each year, Barnsley Council invest millions of pounds into repairing our roads, with the areas in greatest need being the ones that are prioritised for investment.
“In the coming year we will be investing around £17m into the highway network, including an additional £2m that the Labour council committed to through our balanced budget for 2024/25.
“We know works may cause temporary inconveniences, but we’re confident the long-term benefits for the community outweigh short-term disruptions.”
Motorists who fell foul of potholes in Barnsley have claimed in their droves for compensation, with a total of 286 claims being successful against the council in 2022/23.
Having been pursued by motorists whose vehicles sustained pothole-related damage whilst driving on routes across the borough, the cost totalled £45,362, according to a Freedom of Information request.
It is more than double the previous year’s £22,319, which saw 116 people receive a pay-out.
It costs an average of £158 to repair each pothole - but in some cases the council forked out more than £2,300.
Council leader Sir Steve Houghton added: “It’s very important to me that we keep our roads and infrastructure in good condition for our residents and businesses as we all rely on these for every day travel and to support our economy.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their patience and co-operation as we work together to improve our transport links and help our borough thrive.”
