Uttoxeter Road, between Foston and Hatton, has seen dozens of temporary pothole repairs over the years
Potholes and pothole repairs in Uttoxeter Road, Foston(Image: Derby Telegraph)
A Derbyshire road home to a patchwork pattern of dots formed from dozens of temporary pothole repairs is set for long-term fix – next year.
Uttoxeter Road, between Foston and Hatton, just south of the A50, is home to dozens of pothole repairs which number so many in some parts they have almost merged into a whole Frankenstein-style road surface.
A visit to the site shows the patched potholes also sit on previous temporary pothole repairs.
Derbyshire County Council has been lobbied for at least two years over the issue, residents say.
The authority now says a 10-year fix is in its programme for the next financial year 2027 to 2028.
Residents say the damage is being caused by heavy vehicle use from neighbouring companies BM Tech, which operates a recycling and waste plant, and A50 Connect, a private company working with National Highways to maintain the A50 as part of a £35 million 20-year contract which expires this year.
Potholes and pothole repairs in Uttoxeter Road, Foston(Image: Derby Telegraph)
A video submitted by a resident earlier this month shows dozens of highway repair vehicles including trucks, vans, construction equipment and other HGVs parked on both sides of Uttoxeter Road, reducing the route to one-way traffic.
This is said to be a common occurrence, residents claim.
Tina Bennett, 55, a retired civil servant for the DVSA – driving standards – who lives nearby, said: “I’ve been trying for over two years to get the potholes repaired and I had to get a local councillor involved because the council were not doing anything.
“The road was only ‘repaired’ about three weeks ago but I believe that all the damage has been caused by the industrial scale parking linked to A50 Connect.
“It has been ongoing for years and residents’ complaints are completely ignored.
“This parking is out of control, causing substantial damage to the road surface and denying access for emergency vehicles.
“There are several properties and businesses along Uttoxeter Road and it is becoming dangerous, causing vehicles to overtake on a blind bend with oncoming traffic entering the road at speed as they expect the road to be clear (from Watery Lane).
“This parking occurs most evenings with many contractors congregating along the road causing access problems, litter tipping and destroying the road surface.
“The council will not intervene, A50 Connect head office do not respond to emails and the situation is becoming unbearable.”
A50 Connect was approached for comment but has not responded by the time of publication.
Potholes and pothole repairs in Uttoxeter Road, Foston(Image: Derby Telegraph)
A spokesperson for BM Tech said: “I am very sorry to hear about the concerns of this resident and would encourage them to contact us directly so we can clearly understand their issues and try to address them.
“Whilst Uttoxeter Road, Off Watery Lane is a dead end, we are very conscious that there are several residences and businesses further along the road.
“We take care to ensure our staff park along the side of the road to keep the carriageway clear.
“I would estimate we average two deliveries / collections per day by anything from a van to an articulated lorry. We have a wide gateway to the site which is set back from the road. “Despite this, we usually ask drivers to enter the site for loading and unloading.
“Especially for articulated lorries, we try to move them into the site as quickly as possible to ensure the road is kept clear.
“I would be surprised if the volume of traffic we generate has led to deterioration of the road surface.”
South Derbyshire District Council, which has planning enforcement powers including in some cases businesses parking improperly, said this was an issue for the county council and not something it was involved in.
Cllr Charlotte Hill, county council cabinet member for highways, said: “We understand inconsiderate parking causes concern and frustration and we encourage all drivers to consider other people by parking safely and responsibly at all times.
“There are currently no parking restrictions on the road but irrespective of whether there are waiting restrictions in place, there is a legal requirement on all motorists to ensure they don’t cause an obstruction or danger to other road users, in accordance with the Highway Code.
“We’ve referred local people to our partners in the police who are able to take action when a vehicle parked on the pavement is causing an obstruction or is parked dangerously.
“The local planning authority is South Derbyshire District Council which is responsible for any operational planning conditions associated with the business in regard to the movement and parking of business vehicles.
“Uttoxeter Road is currently on our draft road improvement capital programme planned for 2027/28. We’re looking to micro-asphalt the surface to improve the condition of the road and extend its life by up to 10 years.
“We regularly inspect the county’s roads for defects and we urge anyone who finds a fault to report it using our website www.derbyshire.gov.uk/reportit
“Residents can also put in a request for parking restrictions using the same link.”
