THE state of roads across Kirklees continues to dismay councillors.

Following a huge response to an article we published on potholes, we highlighted a nightmare collection of some of your worse roads.

As part of that report Kirklees Council said: "If you tell us about them, we'll get them repaired."

But former Mirfield Mayor Clr Martyn Bolt - also a Kirklees councillor - says he has been waiting for two years for road repairs in the town.

He said work was promised on a large pothole outside Mirfield fire station on Huddersfield Road in April, 2004.

And he said work was due to start at the end of summer 2004 on a whole stretch of pavement from Leeds Road to Crossley Lane.

Clr Bolt added: "I'm sure there are many incidents of potholes across Kirklees that are getting reported but are unrepaired

"I'm not being parochial in this. I've got emails going back to 2003. Many potholes in the Cumberworth area are still unrepaired.

"From my experience highways staff have to be very creative to get round the bureaucracy."

Clr Bolt said that if there were more than four holes it became a `major incident', rather than a pothole incident.

He added: "What we see now is an epidemic of pot holes."

Jim Dodds, a Denby Dale councillor on Kirklees, said Cumberworth Lane had 60 potholes.

He said: "The Road Watch One Stop Service (Ross) scheme is terrific. Every time I have phoned them with a problem they have reacted quite quickly. It's one of the pluses of Kirklees."

Clr Dodds was told the road would be inspected.

He added: "We need an injection of cash, but can the highways department manage?

They can only do so much in a 24-hour day."

A department spokesman said: "We are taking advantage of the current fine weather to tackle as many potholes as possible.

"The situation outside Mirfield fire station is a slightly sunken cross trench across the whole road.

"It has to be tackled in a different way to potholes and budgeted for accordingly. The work is programmed for April/May this year

"The pavements referred to cannot be treated as potholes as they require full-length resurfacing. Budgets for this type of work are decided by ward councillors.

"Cumberworth Road has had a major failure and the whole surface needs treatment. It is being prioritised for resurfacing and we will try to make it as safe as possible until this can take place."