Massive pothole opens in Wiltshire's 'best high street'

The 1 metre by 1 metre (3ft 3ins) pothole is six centimetres (two-and-a-half inches) deep, and a traffic cone sits in the hole to warn drivers of the hazard in Marlborough.

There was a glimmer of hope on Monday that a group of workmen had arrived to fix the hole - but they had been tasked with removing pedestrian safety bollards, which had been hit multiple times by cars.

National newspapers including the Times and the Express have heaped plaudits on England's second-widest high street, while economic reports including Harper Dennis Hobbs' Vitality Index name it among the most prosperous.

Flanked by two churches - St Peter's, where Cardinal Wolsey was ordained in 1498, and St Mary's, which bears the scars of a Civil War battle - the high street boasts a Waitrose supermarket and, until recently, a Rick Stein restaurant. It is also famous for its ladies' fashion boutiques.

Wiltshire, meanwhile, won government plaudits for the state of its roads, with Wiltshire Council being one of just 16 local councils out of more than 150 to be given a 'green' rating for its highways.

But last week, the councillor in charge of roads admitted that the ranking does not reflect the "lived experience" of motorists.

Wiltshire Council's cabinet member for highways, Martin Smith, said: “We’re aware of the pothole that has appeared on Marlborough High Street near the Royal Oak, and our highways team has instructed our contractor to carry out the repairs.

"As with all potholes, we follow Wiltshire Council’s Highway Safety Intervention Levels, which set out how repairs are prioritised. We expect the repair to be carried out shortly, in line with these timescales.

“The nearby pedestrian crossing bollards are being taken out temporarily due to safety concerns, following several vehicle collisions.

"New bollards will be installed once the necessary safety measures are in place, and we’re aiming for this to happen over the coming weeks.”