FOLLOWING Phil Carroll’s recent photograph and letter about the quality of repair to the highway by Devon County Council there is an issue at the bus stop outside Lloyds Bank on Crediton High Street. 

The bus stop near Lloyds Bank in Crediton.
The bus stop near Lloyds Bank in Crediton. (David Cann)

The issue of the potholes was reported to Devon County Council under reference W231675512 and was reported as “The problem has been repaired.” on November 10, 2023.

However as the attached picture shows it didn’t last long and is now as bad as it was when reported. 

If only this were a one off.

A constant string of little repairs on Exhibition Road for just one pothole has resulted in greater expense and waste of resources, as the first issue was not dealt with properly. They are patches on patches.

It does not end there as the recent repair in Dean Street is going the same way.

The bare minimum was repaired and now the surrounds are breaking up and coming loose. 

Dean Street in Crediton.
Dean Street in Crediton. (David Cann)

The pavements are not excluded from this lack of care. The top of Church Street is so broken up that an elderly resident had no choice but to cross the road to avoid it and cross back.

On reporting the issue the only thing that happened was one dollop of black tarmac to fill the deepest part that a friend tripped over, in a light concrete pavement in what is supposed to be a conservation area. The rest was untouched and now even that tarmac dollop has worn away. 

But the hypocrisy is this, when a poor trench infill by Openreach contractors was reported, so bad the surface immediately broke up, Devon County Council were out immediately to check and had Openreach back to do a proper job.

In Crediton High Street.
In Crediton High Street. (David Cann)

Yet they can’t even repair a pavement where the damage is their own responsibility and so unsafe it is a hazard. 

Don’t even mention the blocked drains and the flooding. 

David Cann

Crediton