MOTORISTS are being told to brace themselves for more roadworks misery in return for rushed improvements to Hull's crumbling roads.
Councillor Martin Mancey, the city council's portfolio holder for roads, is expected to ask the Guildhall to part with an extra £1m, enabling more worn-out roads to be repaired quickly.
If the request is approved following a review of the council's budget, Cllr Mancey said motorists can expect, in addition to current work pencilled-in, a two-month blitz on some of the most potholed roads, including:
Spring Bank West
Rotterdam Road
Boothferry Road, between Anlaby Park Road South and Fiveways roundabout
Sutton Road/Beverley Road junction
Cllr Mancey said: "It's fair to say roads in Hull are in a less than satisfactory state, but it is a similar picture elsewhere in the country.
"Repairs need to be carried out before winter. It is undesirable to have temporary road surfaces when there is a risk of freezing conditions.
"The onset of winter will cause already damaged or worn-out surfacing to rapidly deteriorate.
"The more repairs we can do now, no matter what disruption or inconvenience caused in the short-term, the fewer problems will be caused to road users in the future and at less cost in the long term."
In light of cuts in Government funding to local authorities, Cllr Mancey has admitted the council is struggling to deal with an increasing backlog of repair.
Hull City Council has budgeted just £2m for resurfacing work in 2013-14.
Cllr Mancey said until extra funding is secured, the focus is on repairing arterial roads.
Confirmed resurfacing work for the next two months includes:
Holderness Road, between Mount Pleasant and Dansom Lane
Willerby Road, between Spring Bank West and Ainthorpe Grove
Littondale
Cllr Mancey said: "For now, we have to focus our limited resources on roads that take the most amount of traffic.
"But I recognise there are a lot of roads, particularly those in residential areas, that may not take a lot of traffic but are, nonetheless, continuing to deteriorate."
Cllr Mancey said he will press Guildhall decision-makers for additional funding to address the escalating problem. He said: "If we were to be successful in getting an additional £1m, we would incorporate more residential roads into the current programme of works."
Work on these additional streets could begin in late September. Cllr Mancey said: "We would want work to be completed by November."
Last month, the Mail told how Anthony Agnew, 80, believed he had found Hull's most pothole-riddled street.
Mr Agnew likened Churchill Street, off Hedon Road, east Hull, to the surface of the Moon.
He said: "I welcome proposals for more cash to be spent on the city's roads. Wherever you look there are potholes. You can't avoid them when you're driving down a road."
Mr Agnew was pleased to report repairs had been made to Churchill Street, where the garage he uses is located.
"It's a lot better – they've patched the road up, but it could still do with being completely resurfaced in my opinion," said Mr Agnew.
Previously, the city council has admitted Churchill Street needs "reconstructing, rather the normal pothole repairs".
However, it said temporary repairs would be carried out prior to a long-term solution being initiated.
