Letter: Highways’ drive to weaponise potholes

SIR – The reduction in grant by central government to local authorities for all expenditure is being used by Highways Departments as a weapon.

It appears that the lower the grant the greater the number of potholes in the roads.

Could this be a reaction by the civil servants to the threat to their easy lifestyles ‘not’ working from home, generous salaries and pensions?

It has been noticed that when civil servants go on strike, there is little impact on the life of ordinary citizens. However, when the roads are allowed to become pitted with potholes, the 30-million vehicle users in the country are endangered and inconvenienced.

The fact that over £13m was reportedly paid out in compensation to drivers of damaged vehicles between 2018 and 2021 appears to leave bureaucrats undisturbed.

It is indeed tragic that our once admired bureaucrats have descended to such menial and spiteful treatment of those whom they are supposed to serve.

Roger Bell,
Lymington