A POTHOLE map will help motorists navigate their way through the rural Northumberland countryside.
Peter Trevelyan and his isolated neighbours are drawing up designs to pinpoint the worst hit parts of the region.
The Hexhamshire parish councillor, is compiling the special pothole map – with considerable help from his friends.
He is asking everyone in the Shire area, south of Hexham, to report any potholes they come across – or drop into – and he will then mark it carefully on his map.
“And then I will submit it to the county council at regular intervals,” said Peter, of Dotland Park Cottage.
“It’s to help pinpoint where the problems are. The council seems to like to work on the basis of accepted emails for reporting potholes, but this is a little bit different.
“I invested in a very smart, laminated Ordnance Survey map and we will mark up everywhere a pothole is reported.
“I don’t suppose it’s any worse here in the Shires than any other area, but we are probably at the end of the priority list.
“Everybody is competing for some attention, so I’m hoping this will help our case.”
The wide-open country lanes that criss-cross the Shires, from the southern edge of Hexham several miles east, south and west, suffered more than most from the severe pre-Christmas frosts.
Temperatures dropped as low as -12C and many serious potholes opened up.
Hexhamshire Parish Council has contacted Northumberland County Council to advise them of its plans and Peter hopes the two councils will be able to work together for safer motoring.
“We had a meeting with one of the senior managers for west Northumberland last week and we are hoping the map will help the council,” he added.
“The least we can do is be helpful. The county council does have problems and we hope this will help.”
The map will be put up in the village hall at Whitley Chapel and the date the council was notified inscribed alongside every marked pothole.
The traditional Shire boundaries from Dipton Mill Burn to Houtley in the north, Devil’s Water to the east and south form the area under the microscope.
Mel Richardson, the council’s highways area manager for the west, said: “A priority system for identifying and repairing all potholes is in place and repairs are carried out within certain timescales determined by risk assessment, the type of road they are on, the amount of traffic using that road and the nature and extent of the pothole or road defect.”
Anyone wanting to report potholes can call 0845 600 6400 or visit the website at www.northumberland.gov.uk
