A POTHOLE-RIDDEN road often described as one of Barnsley’s worst due to its condition will not be immediately resurfaced - despite councillors and residents urging the council to act after years of pleas.
Wellington Crescent, in Worsbrough Dale, has regularly been put forward for work in recent years but despite patched-up repairs taking place, calls for a full-on resurface have so far fallen on deaf ears.
Following site visits with councillors and cabinet member for environment and transport Coun James Higginbottom, renewed hope was given that its woes would finally be rectified.
However, the Chronicle can confirm that due to its concrete construction, Wellington Crescent’s repairs would require ‘significant’ investment - something which is not in the council’s budget.
Coun Higginbottom said: “It is a site I am familiar with having been invited by councillors to attend the site some time ago to
meet with residents to see first-hand the impact of the carriageway’s condition.
“I can provide reassurance that Wellington Crescent inspected regularly by our highways team and a number of patch repairs have been implemented within the last 12 months.
“Based on routine inspections, the level of deterioration has not reached the threshold that would trigger immediate resurfacing.
“Every scheme is prioritised based on evidence of need and available funding.
“The main constraint at this location is that the road is of concrete construction - converting it to a traditional carriageway design would require significant investment, which is not currently available with the service budget.
“While we understand local concerns, there are practical constraints that limit further investment at this time.
“Wellington Crescent will be reassessed during the next round of condition data collection, and if further deterioration is identified, it will be considered for inclusion in a future maintenance programme.”
Coun Jake Lodge, who represents the Worsbrough ward, said the road’s issues must be prioritised given the amount of complaints which have been lodged over recent years.
“It’s all well and good patching up roads but they’re repairs which do not last and they’re temporary,” he added.
“I understand the road’s construction makes it tougher to carry out a full resurface but given the amount of time this has been on the agenda and how many complaints it generates, surely common sense has to prevail here.
“It’s one of if not the worst road in Barnsley for its condition and it’s about time it’s finally resurfaced.”
