When you see what has happened at DC Thomson in recent days with so many redundancies happening, it is a stark reminder of troubled times in the newspaper industry and just how much we should treasure our local newspaper, the Central Fife Times included. They are in the front line of reporting local news and a rich reminder of what is on in the community, where, and when. They also make politicians aware of the most pressing issues across our communities.
"One such local issue that has been dominating my mailbox is the prevalence of potholes - not just small puddles but gaping holes which can do untold damage and which heighten the risk for motorists and cyclists.
"Potholes are undoubtedly an issue everywhere, but it is increasingly clear that local people are fed up.
"Nationally, the picture is, quite frankly, a disgrace and people should rightly expect far better. While some argue that potholes are the problems of councils and not the Scottish Government, a quick look at the eye-watering rise of reported potholes on main roads across Scotland is extremely telling. On UK trunk roads in 2007-08 when the SNP entered administration, the number of reported potholes was 3981. The number of potholes reported in 2020-21 was 20988 - over five times higher.
"But behind these statistics are people facing great inconveniences through the damage of their vehicles. Paying for car repairs is the last thing people will want to be spending their money on during the cost of living crisis which has forced many working people to significantly tighten their belts.
"It is possible to make a claim to councils on the damage sustained to vehicles which have encountered a pothole. However, a recent Freedom of Information request has shown councils are paying significantly less in compensation than was previously the case. In 2019-2020, 371 claims were made to Fife Council with 51 paid the accumulative sum of £21,398.11. And, in 2021-22, 234 claims were made with just seven being paid at a cost of £1,147.50.
"There is one very simple explanation for the free-falling state of Scottish roads and it is certainly not anything to do with any of Scotland’s 32 local authorities. It is the sustained SNP austerity measures on our councils’ budgets which began long before the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic. Councils simply do not receive enough money to deal with this issue and that is why we have heard even SNP council leaders speaking up against the Scottish Government’s unacceptable level of cuts.
"People rightly expect the basics from government - that road surfaces are maintained to a acceptable quality. Unexpected and pothole hotspots will inevitably cause issues, but it is the sheer scale of the number of potholes that local people are quite rightly fed up with and which never used to be the case. If we are to deliver higher road standards and get the number of pothole cases under control, it can only begin by filling the substantial financial hole left by the Scottish Government".
