Those manhole covers . . .

Mar 8 2008 by Andrew Flynn, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

MUCH has been written about the state of our roads in both articles and the letters column. What visitors and potential business investors to Huddersfield must think can’t be good.

I’ve always thought the nicest approach into the town has been via Halifax Road down through Edgerton, but the state of this road really lets it down. From Blacker Road to the Cavalry Arms the road surface is appalling; it’s littered with ill-repaired workings and sunken manhole covers.

What I can’t understand is why no-one takes the utility companies to task for the shoddy repairs they make. I’ve always been under the impression that the council now has the power to make these companies do a proper repair of their numerous diggings. Surely if someone was to oversee this was done correctly it would pay for itself, as less maintenance work would need doing at council expense! Could someone enlighten me as to why this does not happen?

If one looks at the roads it not always a worn-out surface that’s the main problem but the sheer volume of dubious reinstatement workings and sunken manhole covers.

Stephen Blackburn

Huddersfield