A woman from Lea has started a petition to improve all of the potholes across Preston and the UK in general.

Kaitlyn Ashworth set up the petition after noticing the “appalling” state of the roads.

Writing a statement on Change.org, Kaitlyn said: “As a concerned parent, I am deeply worried about the current state of our roads. Every day, I drive my young daughter to school and other activities, but the multitude of potholes on our routes is making these simple tasks increasingly risky. The condition of our roads is not just an inconvenience; it’s a safety hazard for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.

“The existing ‘solutions’ provided by local councils are inadequate. Outsourcing repairs to contractors who merely fill potholes with tarmac only offers temporary relief. Within weeks, these ‘fixed’ potholes revert back to their dangerous states or even worsen.”

Read more: Road closure in Preston city centre for crucial Harris restoration work begins

She then included data that found that the RAC attended 7,904 breakdowns in the first quarter of 2024 due to bad road surfaces which is up 53% on the last three months of 2023.

The statement ends with: “We cannot afford any more delay – it’s time we prioritise safe transportation infrastructure for all road users’ benefit. Please sign this petition if you believe we deserve better roads in the UK.”

Speaking to Blog Preston, Kaitlyn explained that she and her partner, who live in Lea, “avoid travelling around Preston like the plague” due to how bad the conditions of the roads are.

She said: “We notice that countless drivers are swerving to avoid potholes or slamming on to avoid hitting them and damaging their cars and this in itself poses a huge safety risk to other road users and pedestrians alike.”

“My aim is to bring this issue to the attention of the government and to push them into doing something proper and sufficient about the current state of our roads,” she added.

Read more: Preston reacts to ‘absolutely atrocious’ roads as five due to be resurfaced in the city

Kaitlyn went on to mention in her petition the Lancashire Post reported that a woman was taken to hospital in an ambulance after tripping on a pothole in Preston and that she was told “that’s life” after informing the county council.

Rebecca Salisbury dislocated her ankle when she tripped on the pothole in Seed Street in January.

She said that she got in touch with the council but was shocked by their response as they said they repaired the road but did not accept liability.

She explained that she was told “this is a less than perfect world” and that potholes should be accepted as “a fact of life”.

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said in Ms Salisbury’s case: “Keeping our roads safe is one of our highest priorities. We have a robust inspection regime in place to identify and repair any safety issues on our roads before they become a risk, which allows us to defend against many legal claims by showing that we take reasonable steps to ensure our roads are safe.

“In this case an inspection carried out just over a month earlier on 11 December had not identified any defects at this location, and a further inspection carried out on 5 February after receiving the claim found no relevant defects.

“The statutory defence provided by the Highways Act 1980 recognises that councils cannot be expected to ensure all roads are free defects at all times, and can defend against claims if they have taken reasonable steps to inspect roads, and make any repairs which may be needed.” 

Subscribe: Keep in touch directly with the latest headlines from Blog Preston, join our WhatsApp channel and subscribe for our twice-a-week email newsletter. Both free and direct to your phone and inbox.

Read more: See the latest Preston news and headlines