A SUBURBAN street in a seaside resort has been branded Britain’s worst for potholes after 21 of them were found in a 220-yard stretch.
Residents say the uneven section of Petersfield Road in Bournemouth, Dorset, is “falling apart” with one chunk missing every 10 yards on average.
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It has been labelled a safety hazard for cyclists and motorists, with road users swerving at the last minute to avoid them.
Some drivers even mount the pavements to stop the potholes damaging their vehicles in an area with four schools, making it dangerous for pedestrians.
Resident Alexandra Stevens, 61, a retired primary school teacher, said she fears “going over her handlebars” every time she cycles.
She said: “I use this road often if I’m going into town or into church and it’s quite a poor road.
“I’m quite surprised at how quickly it has deteriorated. They have got worse in the last couple of months.
“I cycle along the road and there are potholes every 10 metres, which is not right.
“The whole stretch of road is just falling apart and crumbling away.
“We’re not halfway up a mountain. This is a residential area with schools.”
Alexandra said a chicane in the narrow road means that when you hit a pothole and take evasive action “there’s nowhere to go”.
She added: “Some are half a metre long and wide and deep enough for beer cans to roll in.
“If this is not Britain’s worst road, then it is definitely in the running.
“I try not to be put off from cycling down there, but I do think it is dangerous because if you have another car coming down the opposite direction it has to keep on the left hand side.
“This is not always possible to do safely as there are so many potholes you will end up going over your handlebars.”
Other residents slammed the local authority for not fixing the road.
Kelly Govier said: “The council should just resurface the road.
“It isn’t that wide and it isn’t suitable for two cars to drive down on opposite sides and it should be one way.
“There are also four schools around here and cars are having to go up on the pavement to avoid the potholes – which is dangerous for pedestrians.
“We’ve all written to the council asking them to repave the road but nothing has happened.”
BCP Council said it will be doing a safety inspection of the road in the coming weeks.
A spokesperson said: “The next safety inspection on Petersfield Road is due in the next few weeks as part of our Highway Safety Inspection programme.
“In the meantime, residents who are concerned about potholes can report them online on our website.”
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