MLA Phil Flanagan, with his damaged wheel caused by pot holes
A POTHOLE ‘as big as a crater’ caused havoc on the Belcoo/Garrison Road, with 11 motorists affected over one February weekend.
And, local MLA, Phil Flanagan was one of its ‘victims’.
He told the Herald that he was heading home from Garrison to Tempo recently when disaster struck.
“It was a miserably wet night, and there was a car coming in the opposite direction, which reduced my visibility. Then all I heard was, ‘bang bang’ and some real rumbling.
“I went straight into the pothole and got not only one, but two punctures and I didn’t have two spare tyres. I was lucky I had one. So I pulled into the nearby layby and phoned the local mechanic Francis Maguire from Cashel and he bailed me out.”
Due to the damage sustained, Phil has had to buy two new tyres and had to acquire two new wheels.
Mr Flanagan is currently in the process of submitting a claim to the Department for Regional Development for reimbursement. But, he says he has been left dumb-founded at learning that a decision will take four months.
“How does it take four months getting a decision? You would get a decision in court quicker than that.
“I don’t know how people are expected to survive for four months. I was lucky I had enough to buy the new tyres, a lot of people wouldn’t have that. It’s actually very rare that I would have it.”
He said he was reliably informed by local people that 11 motorists were ‘victims’ of the pothole, all over the same weekend.
“It was just full of water. You would think there had been some sort of industrial work going on, but there wasn’t. It was as big as a crater.”
Rather than blame the local Roads Service, the Sinn Fein MLA praised them on their swift response for filling in the hole on the Tuesday.
But, he suggested the Service needed further resources given to them.
“Not just money for potholes, but also for roads badly in need of resurfacing. I think people in Fermanagh can easily identify roads and potholes that need work in their area”
In the meantime, he encouraged road users to report potholes more.
“You are only eligible for compensation if the Road Service has been notified about the road.
“I would urge people to contact Roads Service in Enniskillen on 02866343708. That is the pothole helpline, or, alternatively they can contact me.
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