devoncycling's Journal

NO GOVERNMENT MONEY FOR DEVON ROAD REPAIRS
THERE was disappointment for Devon today when the Government confirmed the
new grant settlement for 2007/8 without any increase for road maintenance.
It means Devon will receive £49 per person LESS grant than the average for
English counties - a massive £36 million LESS funding for public services
across the county.

Leader of Devon County Council, Brian Greenslade, said: "Devon County Council
is responsible for the biggest road network in the country at nearly 8,000
miles long. It beggars belief that the Government has not given any increase
for road maintenance. When added to price increases in the previous two
years, the gap between Government provision and council budgets has widened
significantly." He added: "How the Government chooses to share out grants
is vital to reducing the Council Tax burden on Devon people, but this grant
settlement perpetuates the injustice in the current system. If Devon received
just the average grant for English counties it would be equivalent to cutting
average Council Tax bills in the county by over £130.

Local CTC riders are already suffering on the decaying roads and lanes around
Devon. One member had both rims badly damaged by a pothole near Kingskerswell
- estiamted at £70 for repairs.

CTC now have an automated reporting system for potholes via the National
website, and we will shortly be putting links into this and would
strongly encourage mambers to use this a way of informing the Area
Service Groups of defective roads and cycleways.

In the meantime Devon County Council have an on-line defect reporting
form which can be seen used by clicking http://www.devon.gov.uk/form-road_surfaces?url=webcsm/Defect.aspx&sid=vdde0bjmkvcjryekwyngiv55