Gina Heslop
In Cornwall, England, officials are on the lookout for a mysterious motorist who took it upon themselves to fix a large pothole in the middle of the road with concrete. The roads in Cornwall are known to have their fair share of issues, and the area at the top of Tanhouse Road and Bodmin Hill in Lostwithiel was no exception. The road was officially closed in April due to ongoing drainage problems that caused the road surface to deteriorate.
However, after a month of inactivity from the government, an anonymous individual decided they had had enough of the massive pothole and decided to take matters into their own hands. They filled the pothole with concrete over the first weekend in May, temporarily reopening the road. But the Cornwall Council’s road repair company, Cormac, closed the road again, stating that the DIY repair was not official and their team had not done the work.
Now, Cornwall Highways officials are determined to find the person responsible for the unauthorized repair. They mentioned that the individual had also removed signs without consent. The road was initially supposed to be closed until June 9th to catch up with the backlog of pothole repairs.
A Cornwall councilor, Colin Martin, pointed out that this pothole situation is a reflection of the larger issue of underinvestment in the public sector. He criticized the budget cuts for road resurfacing and proactive maintenance made by the Conservatives running Cornwall Council over the past two years, leading to an increasing number of potholes that Cormac struggles to keep up with.
As the search for the mystery motorist continues, the road remains closed until it can be properly repaired by the official road repair company. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the public sector due to lack of investment and highlights the frustration felt by citizens who have to deal with road issues on a daily basis.
