Driver prefers to avoid A17 as councillors say road improvements would need ‘endless pot of money’
An ‘endless pot of money’ would be needed to improve the A17 - and that still wouldn’t be enough, say councillors.
Areas of the A17 - which links Lincolnshire to Norfolk - where there are potholes and wear and tear are an ongoing concern for road users travelling through Sutton Bridge, Long Sutton, Gedney, Holbeach and onto Spalding and beyond.
The busy stretch is a thoroughfare for HGVs, tractors and local traffic - with faded signage, potholes and uneven surfaces on some parts of the road. All that contrasts with beautiful sights including church spires and daffodils.
Long Sutton’s Coun Jack Tyrell said: “I’d love to get these roads done and I know what the cost is.
“It wouldn’t matter how much money we got, it would never be enough.
“The trouble with potholes is repair - and we need a lot of money to keep on top of it all.”
Pinchbeck singer Jeff Woods would rather avoid using the A17 wherever possible but understands it is the main route for those who may feel like ‘nipping out for a day in Hunstanton’.
He said: “It is a direct route from Norfolk from Lincolnshire and it all goes through there.
“It is a road I avoid as many people drive too quickly.
“I keep extra care on it and as the summer comes it will only get busier.”
The speed limit is mostly 60 mph but, as the road is wide in places, drivers overtake without leaving a lot of room for oncoming traffic.
Mr Woods added: “It is the juxtaposition of people trying to get somewhere quickly and someone going to work.
“I feel the A16 is more of a worry and my wife and I had no chance to slow down when a car overtook a lorry at 11.30pm on Sunday night.”
Another councillor feels that potholes and more heavy goods vehicles are ‘the root of the problem’ but agrees that funding is essential.
Coun Chris Brewis said: “We do need an endless pot of money - potholes are an eternal problem.
“The problem is with the increase in lorries.
“The road was never reconstructed for the heavier lorries - that is the root of the problem - they are always going to be cracking up.”
He feels that the idea of dualling the road would be difficult to enforce ‘with the various turnings and roads going in and out’ and would also rather use the back roads which ‘are in better condition.’
He added: “We have a very good bus service which I use a lot.
“It seems to me we need a much more effective freight by rail - we send nearly all our stuff by road.
“We are years behind any other country in how poorly we manage our whole network.”
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