RESIDENTS living in “Britain’s worst street” say it’s full of potholes and HGVs thundering past their homes.
Now the main street through the rural village of Kelk, Yorkshire, has been left flooded following repeated deluges from Storm Babet.
MEN MediaMichael Middlewood has lived in the village for more than 80 years[/caption]
MEN MediaThe main road through Kelk has been left flooded following rainfall from Storm Babet[/caption]
Villagers complain of having been neglected for years, with their rutted road unable to cope with modern levels of traffic.
Potholes and frequent flooding mean travelling through the village has become hazardous for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians alike.
Michael Middlewood, who has lived in the village for almost 85 years, said: “The road has terrible potholes, which are individually patched up by the council.
“But as soon as the rain comes, the road becomes bad again because it hasn’t been resurfaced properly.”
He bemoaned the road’s state of disrepair, slamming the constant problems plaguing residents as “pathetic”.
Michael added: “Over the last 20 years we have seen a lot of flooding because there is something wrong with the drains.
“Gangs of men have come out a few times to try and fix it but it only helps in the short-term.
“The next time it rains, the road will flood again. Nothing gets any better, it’s pathetic.”
Teams of workmen have attempted to resolve the issues, but Michael says the problem with the street’s drainage is “still bad, if not worse”.
He continued: “I have recently had to buy a new shock absorber for my car because of the potholes.
“And I have a 4×4. Smaller cars have no chance down here without their suspension being wrecked.
“I feel for the cyclists who come through here as well. They have to weave all over the place to avoid the potholes, it isn’t safe.”
Parish councillor Andrew Middlewood called for the road to be ripped up in March earlier this year.
It came after another villager Grahame Cooper said he believed many HGVs passed unnecessarily through the village due to following their sat-nav systems.
On Sunday, the BBC reported that repairs to the main street were due to begin in February.
East Riding Council said it is already underway with drainage surveys of the area.
Speaking to Radio Humberside, Grahame said: “It’s good news, but the council has always refused to put measures in place to manage the heavy traffic on roads which were basically cart tracks, which have never been upgraded properly to take 44-ton-plus vehicles.
“The lane isn’t wide enough to allow a HGV and say a school bus or a tractor to pass safely on a road used by cyclists, walkers and horse riders.
“It’s only a matter of time before there’s a bad accident of some sort.”
SWNSHomes in Catcliffe, South Yorkshire, just 70 miles from Kelk, were evacuated after Storm Babet flooding[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
