Corby potholed roundabout being repaired again after 'apologetic' mending team runs out of materials

Working on behalf of North Northants Council (NNC), Kier Highways had been out to fill in potholes on the Rockingham Road/Gretton Brook Road roundabout junction, near Aldi.

After multiple reports to NNC via their fix my street site, Kier had set up a four-way traffic cordon on one of Corby’s busiest through routes to repair the potholes only to run out of asphalt.

The team returned yesterday (Monday) to continue the work and are due to return on Tuesday morning to resume their work.

Cllr Kevin Watt (Cons, Corby Rural), who has been seeking action on the cracked road surface, said: “It’s a choke point at the exit of the industrial estate. The design of the road doesn’t help. There are such a lot of HGVs and such a tight turning circle, it’s not surprising.”

When half a pothole was repaired, Cllr Watt contacted colleagues in the highways department.

He said: “I contacted highways to pass on everybody's disappointment. Highways were very apologetic and explained it was due to being the end of the day and they had run out of tarmac on the van.”

Yesterday Cllr Watt was pleased to discover the work had restarted.

He said: “I was disappointed the original repair wasn’t sufficient, but I’m very pleased to see they have responded to my comments.

"The public are rightly disappointed with this performance and we should fix it. “

Members of the public have been reporting the potholed roundabout for several months.

Repairs have been made only for them to crumble under the weight of the traffic and for previously small potholes worsen.

Reporting the potholes to NNC, one motorist described the stretch of road as becoming ‘impassable’ without damaging vehicles.

They said: “The whole road around the roundabout needs resurfaced, not just temporary pothole fixes.”

Another said there were still ‘huge chunks of road missing’.

Yet another said: “They must've fixed it with their eyes closed. An inspector needs to go out and assess the whole roundabout.

“The small patch they repaired yesterday is already crumbling, and they also missed a huge part at the end of the patch. “There's kerbs falling off the roundabout. This is is getting worse by the day. The whole roundabout needs properly resurfaced, not just patched.”

Cllr Watt said: “The public see Kier visit and fill in one pothole, but there are other potholes that don’t get mended.

"It’s going to require a vast amount of money. Resurfacing is expensive. Repairing roads is expensive. I welcome Kier being responsive to the comments and fixing the roundabout.”

Kier contractors are expected to return to Rockingham Road Corby today to complete the work.

Motorists should expect delays on the approaches to the roundabout until 3.30pm.

Report potholes to North Northants Council by clicking here.