By Niamh McGovern
THE quantity of potholes in Fermanagh and Omagh have doubled in the past two years, according to recent data.
In a survey, conducted by CompareNI to mark National Pothole Day (today), it would appear that the pothole issue in the North remains as acute as ever – with almost 107,000 potholes recorded in the last year.
Of the 134,108 total road defects, 67,513 took five working days to be dealt with, 57,127 took three to four weeks and 1,285 took six weeks.
Of those surveyed, 85% described the situation as getting worse, with 69% believing that the problem was exacerbated in rural areas.
The Fermanagh and Tyrone area saw a doubling in recorded potholes across the past two years, with a five percent increase in the last year alone – increasing from 9,733 to a running total of 10,219.
When asked about the proposed solutions, 64% of respondents said they would like to see the government allocate more funds and staff to maintain the roads.
21% appealed for increase in compensation for those affected by the issue, 7% wished to see a media alertness campaign and 3% would like more public meetings to discuss.
Ian Wilson, Managing Director of Northern Ireland’s largest car insurance comparison website, CompareNI.com, commented: “The pothole situation on our local roads network seems like a never-ending problem that’s frustrating for the majority of drivers across Northern Ireland.
“Not only are these potholes a nuisance, they could increase the risk of accidents plus serious and costly damage to vehicles and all road users.”
Ending with a piece of advice to road users, Mr Wilson said, “To help reduce costs, before applying to claim off the car insurance policy, drivers who experience damage from potholes can also contact the Department for Infrastructure and appeal for compensation if they have evidence the damage caused is related to a pothole.”
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