MP says Merton roads are bad Lib Dems claim road quality is London’s worst Council disputes data
Paul Kohler, the Wimbledon MP, spoke out, stating that road quality is residents’ top concern. He said residents tell him roads have been neglected and wants the council to fix the potholes.
The Lib Dems say poor roads doubled in a year, making Merton have the highest number in London. The council disagrees with this data, stating their main roads are better than average, roads the study didn’t include.
Local roads are usually smaller and do not carry as much traffic. Main roads include A roads and motorways.
The Lib Dems worry about road funding, thinking it’s a short-term fix. They claim Merton could lose out if their roads look better.
Kohler criticized the council’s handling of the roads and wants them to prioritize repairs. He mentioned a council member responsible for transport.
The MP raised road concerns in Parliament. He blamed the Labour council for neglecting roads.
People say the roads are dangerous, with one cyclist almost crashing due to potholes. Another resident said the roads shake his car terribly.
Another resident noted pothole problems, adding that they’ve been there for months.
Residents on Commonside East paid for car repairs because of the road’s poor condition.
A Lib Dem councillor agrees, saying potholes aren’t fixed quickly, which leads to bigger problems.
Merton council questions the figures, saying not all councils gave data, which means the data may be incomplete. Merton also says their A roads are better than average for London.
A spokesperson said the council doesn’t trust the analysis. Last year, TfL rated their roads above average, and a recent survey didn’t highlight road damage as a big issue.
Merton repaired many potholes last year, fixing almost all of them on time. However, other London councils fixed a lot more potholes.