Upbeat residents living off a 'broken road' have spoken of their relief after requests to resurface the street were listened to. Pot holes in Sandy Lane, Hucknall, stretch from top to bottom, with Nottinghamshire County Council confirming that part of the street - from its junction with Wood Lane past its junction with Derbyshire Lane - will be resurfaced.
Though delighted that the "worst part of Sandy Lane" will be improved, residents and Ashfield Independent councillors are still hoping that the entirety of the street will eventually be resurfaced. One neighbour expressed his joy about the attention that is set to be given to the road, but also questioned why it had taken so long for improvements to be made.
The street was identified by the county council on March 23 earlier this year and included in their rolling three year capital maintenance programmes for highway improvements. Work is set to start next March.
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Retired Sandy Lane resident Richard Dyer said it was about time something was done about the potholes. The 66-year-old said: "It's a relief, it really is. I'd have to start off by thanking the council because it's needed some handy work done on it for a long long time.
"But also it's a wonder that it took as long as it did to get through and actually be given that green light. I realise, obviously, that there are probably hundreds of roads that need to be resurfaced, but there can't be many that are in this condition. It's torrid - it's clearly broken up and cars suffer because of it.
"The amount of bumps just to get from one end of the lane to the other is shocking really. It's needed it for a while and I think that'll be a welcome sight, no matter how long the works take."
Agnes Wright, 56, who works at a garage, said: "I hate driving on the road. It's such an inconvenience when you're travelling to and from work - it'll mess the car up in the long term.
"I'm very happy that they're now resurfacing it. It took a while, much longer than it needed to, but they've said they're going ahead with it so I guess we'll have to just wait and see. It can't come quickly enough. Have you seen the state of it? It's awful.
"That just shows in my eyes how long it's been left. I've written and called [the county council] myself about the state of it and I don't think I was listened to. Looks like people are listening now, which is great."
Tom Huckle, 51, added: "Everyone, especially the drivers in the neighbourhood, will be happy. I'm a bit worried about what it will be like on the roads when they actually come and dig it up.
"Hopefully not too many disruptions. But I know that's how it works. It's about time that's all I can say."
Councillor Lee Waters, who represents Hucknall South on Nottinghamshire County Council for the Ashfield Independents, made it one of his three highway priorities at County Hall, the West Bridgford headquarters of the county council.
Cllr Waters said: “I am pleased that our pressure has paid off. I made a promise to residents in 2019 that I would fight to fix Hucknall’s broken roads. We are now pushing for the whole of Sandy Lane to be resurfaced. The state of Sandy Lane has been a long standing issue for furious residents living and travelling to Hucknall."
Councillor Nick Parvin, who represents Hucknall Central for the Ashfield Independents on Ashfield District Council, having won a recent by-election, said: “The state of Sandy Lane and other local roads was a big issue on the doorstep during the recent election. Residents will be delighted."
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, cabinet member for transport and environment at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “We continue to improve the road surface on a number of roads throughout the county as part of Nottinghamshire County Council’s ongoing investment in Nottinghamshire’s roads.
"Sandy Lane, from the junction of Wood Lane past its junction with Derbyshire Lane, was identified on 23 March this year to be included in our rolling three‐year capital maintenance programme and work will be carried out at the end of March 2023. Therefore, this work was included in the programme nine months ago."
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