At tomorrow afternoon's Cabinet Committee meeting, Lancashire County Council will publish its latest edition of the 'Highways Safety Inspection Policy' (pothole policy), which had to be withdrawn in February due to serious omissions and a lack of cohesion and clarity.

In January this year, LCC published its 'Transport Asset Management Plan', which identified there had been a general improvement in A, B and C roads across Lancashire between 2014 and 2017. This was part of the evidence supplied to government in order to maintain the highest funding band 3 status (Transport Asset Management Plan, December 2017, Pages 14 and 15).

County Coun. John Fillis of Ormskirk told QLocal this afternoon: "Just 12 months into a Conservative administration, and people are telling me that the roads are worse than ever.

"We have had the excuses that it's too cold, it's wet and there were leaves in the potholes.

"It's called winter and happens every year," he added ironically.

"We may lose a few days but the rest of Lancashire keeps working, why can't the council?

"The damage has already been done to the roads and the catch up required will far out way any new moneys into the system. As well as the millions it will cost in claims against the council to cover people's cars, bicycles and personal, injuries.

"This is too little too late."

The revised 'Highways Safety Inspection Policy' also adds a further width dimension to potholes before they will be repaired, which increases the danger to cyclists and motorbike riders, as their tyres will drop straight into the groove. Repair time has also been increased by an extra two days if reported by the public for the vast majority of potholes.

Added Fillis: "Emergency repairs have always been carried out but the vast majority of potholes fall into what was a 20 day repair category, this will now take 22 days (page 171, para 2, Item 12, Proposed Highways Safety Policy Review). Adding the extra width dimension before intervention will take place (page 170, para 4, Item 12, Proposed Highways Safety Policy Review) only adds to the risk for cyclist and motor bike riders. It's clear that their safety has not been fully considered in this document, which is just an accident waiting to happen."

The Highways Asset Management System (HAMS) reporting system does not fully connect with the new matrix reporting system identified within the policy.

"This will lead to even further confusions surrounding a chaotic policy. Until this miss match has been rectified any figures produced will not provide a true reflection of what is happening on the roads," Fillis concluded.

You couldn't make this up as a work of fiction. The repairs take longer to get done (from being reported) than they are actually lasting before they need doing again.