20 August 2004

Please report any potholes -- Christchurch City Council

Christchurch City Council is asking people to report any potholes in city streets. To report them, call the council on 941 8999.

Peter McDonald, the Council’s Pavement Maintenance Team Leader, says the Council needs to know quickly when a pothole emerges. The longer a pothole goes without repair, the larger and more dangerous it will become. “Because of the wet and snowy weather following a long very dry spell, there’s a lot of new potholes appearing,” he says. “We need to know where they are and would appreciate drivers and other people taking the time to call us. Just let us know the street name and the number of the house opposite the pothole or section of road so it can be found.

“Please don’t assume it’s too small to bother us about or that someone else will report it,” Mr McDonald says. “The sooner we know about them, the better.”

The Council is particularly interested in hearing about potholes on suburban steets. Roading maintenance contractors carry out regular inspections, especially on higher-use roads, and quieter streets are not checked as often. The Council’s contracts state that once a pothole is reported, it should be repaired within two working days.

Potholes are showing up more often at the moment because the recent wet weather has followed a long relatively dry spell. Weak spots hold together longer in the dry. When it rains or snow melts, the water seeps into weakened paving and makes it easier for passing vehicle wheels to break it open.

- To report a pothole, simply call the Christchurch City Council on 941 8999. A customer service representative will take the details and alert the contractor.

ENDS

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