Sussex driving instructor says 'only a matter of time before someone loses their life' due to 'shocking road surfaces'

Don Harris likened driving in Sussex to ‘going on safari’.

He wrote a letter to Bexhill and Battle MP Dr Kieran Mullan and Hastings and Rye MP Helena Dollimore on behalf of Hastings and Bexhill Instructor Team.

Don said: “Our roads are in such poor condition that I often refer to them as ‘going on safari in Sussex’ when talking to my pupils and colleagues. They have become dangerous and hugely expensive to drive on, potentially lethal for cyclists and motorcyclists.

“It is not only the danger of the holes themselves but the risk to other road users when the vehicle operator/rider may suddenly swerve at the last moment to dodge a trench that they have suddenly noticed in the road.

“There are back injuries to our professional drivers, bus, coach, and lorry drivers, who are being subjected to these physical stress levels on a daily basis causing absence from work.

“Unfortunately, the additional physical stress from the shocking road surfaces added to the mental health issues from the additional constant, and increased awareness we all need as professional drivers is extensive. I feel it is only a matter of time before someone loses their life due to this issue.

“The lack of foresight for road maintenance in our area is truly abysmal. Roads, in the good old days, were regularly resurfaced and well-maintained.

“Because of the lack of planning, we have road works all over Bexhill and Hastings springing up on an almost daily basis causing closures and multiple diversions at the moment.”

Bexhill and Battle MP Dr Kieran Mullan said: “I know from my own travels around the constituency, and from talking to constituents, that the issue of potholes on our local roads is one of concern and frustration. I have regular meetings with the leaders of East Sussex County Council on this issue who advise that they have teams out every day working hard to repair the potholes which meet their criteria for urgent repair.”

Hastings and Rye MP Helena Dollimore said: “Potholes have plagued people in Hastings, Rye and the villages for far too long, causing accidents, injury and vehicle damage that can cost hundreds of pounds in repairs. I have highlighted our pothole problem in Parliament and the Transport Minister has joined me in calling on East Sussex County Council to fill the potholes, and ensure that Hastings and Rye gets its fair share of this new Government funding to fix potholes.”

An East Sussex County Council spokesperson said: “With more than 2,000 miles of highways to monitor and maintain repairs are prioritised based on a number of factors including the depth, size and location of the pothole or defect, with those not reaching our published intervention levels continuing to be monitored.

“Over the winter (November 1, 2024 and February 28, 2025) we have repaired over 1,000 potholes in Bexhill and Hastings. To repair every pothole on the network regardless of whether it meets our intervention levels would cost significantly more than the funding we have available and place an even greater burden on council taxpayers.

“Since 2020/21 we have spent £105 million on highways maintenance, despite Government funding of only £60 million. The majority of our investment in the county’s road network focuses on preventative maintenance such as patching and resurfacing to stop potholes appearing in the first place.

“People can find out how and when we repair potholes and report potholes to us directly via our website at www.eastsussexhighways.com.”