Glowing Wiltshire pothole ranking 'doesn't mean roads are okay'

Potholes were the top concern for voters at this year's local council elections <i>(Image: Getty Images)</i>
Potholes were the top concern for voters at this year's local council elections (Image: Getty Images)
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A glowing endorsement of the quality of roads in Wiltshire does not mean the county's road surfaces are okay, it has been claimed.

Earlier this month, Wiltshire's 5,000 miles of road surface were named among the best in England by the government.

The Department for Transport gave highways authorities a red, amber or green rating for their roads. Wiltshire was among one of just 16 out of more than 150 to receive a green rating.

At the time, Cllr Martin Smith, Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for highways, said: “We are delighted to receive this recognition from the Department for Transport, as it illustrates just how the hard work of our teams is paying off."

But the announcement was met with widespread scorn on social media, as wet weather then freezing conditions widened and deepened existing potholes and opened up new ones.

At this week's meeting of Wiltshire Council cabinet, Cllr Smith admitted there was "more to do".

"As we all know though from our lived experience of the roads around the county, we have much more to do, particularly whilst the current weather is doing all it can to create more potholes," the councillor admitted.

"I therefore see this rating as more of a measure of how we're doing relative to other councils rather than an absolute measure."

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