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Labour-led council workers tarmac around parked van

Labour-led council workers tarmac around parked van

Telegraph25-03-2025
Labour-led council workers have tarmacked around a parked van.
Parked half on the pavement and half on the road in Wollaton, Nottingham, the white Transit-style vehicle is now surrounded by freshly laid tarmac, while under its wheels the old faded grey road surface can still be seen.
Neighbours 'had to laugh' after pictures taken on March 23 reveal the workers' decision to continue with the job despite the hurdle.
Gemma Hatvani, a resident, said: 'Great tarmacking. Honestly it's such a c--- job I had to laugh.'
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer announced he would force town halls to publish their plans to tackle potholes or 'risk losing crucial funding'.
Ms Hatvana added: 'The roads in Wollaton are disgraceful. I have been reporting some of them for years. The roads near the schools are appalling; they are so bad in Wollaton. Pot holes everywhere.
'Highways were told years ago to fix some of the really bad roads and they still haven't been done yet.'
After Ms Hatvani posted the image on social media, others made light of the resurfacing.
Suzanne Croft added: 'You've got to laugh or it would make you cry.'
While Sharon King, another commenter, joked: 'More pot hole for next year.'
The Asphalt Industry Alliance said last week the cost of restoring Britain's roads back to good condition had reached a record high £16.8 billion.
From mid-April a £1.6 billion highway maintenance fund will be handed to councils to repair potholes.
Heidi Alexander, the Transport Secretary, has laid out a set of specific requirements councils must meet to access a third of the money.
They must publish annual progress reports on their websites by the end of June, detailing how much they're spending, how many potholes they've filled, road conditions and how they're minimising any disruption from road works.
They also have to outline plans for long-term prevention and find a solution for dealing with wetter winters, which make damage to roads worse.
The Telegraph has launched a nationwide campaign, Fix Our Potholes, to demand local authorities fix their roads and improve conditions for motorists, businesses and emergency services.
A Nottingham city council spokesman said: 'People are given advance notice of the work.
'And are asked to move their vehicles for a short period of time when work is taking place.'
He said the patch of road would be tarmacked by the contractor on Tuesday.
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