ANGRY readers have been contacting the Review over disintegrating road surfaces with the potential to badly damage vehicles or even cause bad accidents.

Among blackspots cited are the Whitecroft-Pillowell road and part of the B4234 near the Pin Factory, and New Road (Blakeney-Parkend) at Blakeney, but right across the Dean it appears road mending crews are fighting a losing battle.

However Councillor James Bevan, who represents Lydney East and also runs a local bus and coach company, says part of the battle is reporting the damage in the most effective way.

The complaints come against a background of Gloucestershire County Council announcements that it is making progress on the problem and is to receive an additional £1.6 million government cash for urgent repairs.

A similar scheme was rolled out last year but roads repaired in the summer were hit by the severe cold snap starting before Christmas – unusual for the rest of Britain let alone this part of the world.

Alan Beddis of Parkend says he was amazed to see not one but two lorries appear after reporting local potholes. Two men then fixed a large pothole but left a smaller one next to it, presumably because it was outside their brief.

He adds: "A man with a spray can keeps putting paint markers round some of the damage at Whitecroft but this has been washed away two or three times already so the repairers just drive on."

And Teah Vincent emailed the Review to say: "If you weren't from round this area and didn't know how bad the conditions were it could cause all sorts of accidents."

Simon Bee of Lydney Ford dealerership Thomas Bee said his repair shop was dealing with "a steady stream" of pothole damage repairs, mainly to wheels and springs.

"Replacing a couple of wheels and tyres costs around £200," he said.

Cllr Bevan recommends reporting road damage to the website http://www.fixmystreet.com">www.fixmystreet.com and says this is "most effective".

"It's very thorough and you can guide people right to the problem. It does seem to get a quick reaction, but I do sign my emails 'Cllr Bevan' so that might help!"