WE have all seen the explosion of road works over the last few weeks and I expect many have wondered why here and not some more deserving place? I was extremely disappointed to see the A48 was to be repaired and the road shut for some considerable time.

What does the average man in the street think about all this? I will tell you.

I think there is a certain lack of common sense when it comes to spending the budget for road repairs or even organising when work is to be carried out full stop.

The Lydney to Whitecroft road has, over the last two years, been repaired several times and as many will have noticed the repair men come out and repair the pot hole based on the criteria set out by the chief accountant.

To all who see pot holes and wonder why the full extent of the hole is not repaired I can only surmise the hole is not a hole if it is less than 40mm deep and therefore doesn't need that extra bit of tarmac. Come back to the same repair some months later and we have two more pot holes to repair.

Along Forest Road one hole has been repaired six times as it got longer and longer. Obviously you cry this is false economy why not repair the hole and the broken up surface in its entirety? I give up, someone please tell me.

We have had road works in Whitecroft for six weeks due to Severn Trent digging a hole in a car park adjacent to the road, six weeks with no work being carried out! Who is organising this at a time when traffic is being diverted through Whitecroft?

Councils are always moaning about budget cuts and having to cut services. Well I have an idea, try running yourselves like a business giving value for money and get people who can be sensible about fixing roads and not worrying about which part of the budget they should be allocating.

Remember the old adage. A stitch in time saves nine.

– William Ervig, Whitecroft.