Pothole repairs announced for Vigo Road in Andover

This comes as the council grapples with a surge in reported road defects across the county.

The repairs on Vigo Road are part of a wider effort to address the numerous potholes plaguing Hampshire's extensive road network.

The county council said it is the result of prolonged periods of very wet weather over successive winters, and it acknowledges that these are a cause of frustration to both residents and road users.

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Test Valley borough councillor for Andover, Iris Andersen, is among those who have repeatedly reported the worsening potholes on Vigo Road.

“I have reported these potholes that are getting bigger and bigger,” she said.

“The same happens everywhere else. They've not even been looked at because they have not got white paint round them. I am extremely concerned because Vigo Road is a very busy stretch that also has numerous schools on it.

“I don't know how many times you have to keep reporting for the county council to fix it.”

Cllr Andersen said the potholes also pose huge risk to pedestrians as vehicles drive close to footpaths.

“The cars know where these potholes are now. So they avoid the potholes by either driving right near the curb where the footpath is or the other side. I just worry because of the children walking up the school," she added.

Vigo Road has also got busier recently due to the gas works in Corunna Main area.

"The potholes are getting worse as every day goes on. One of them is quite deep you can't see when the waters in them," Cllr Andersen said.

The council has emphasised its commitment to improving Hampshire's roads as the pointed to the £22.5m allocated last year for reactive road repairs, with £15m still available.

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This funding, combined with additional government support, is expected to be used to tackle potholes across the county, including those on Vigo Road.

A Hampshire County Council spokesperson said: “Repairs to road defects on Vigo Road are scheduled to take place shortly. We are continuing to receive unprecedented numbers of reports of road defects across Hampshire’s 5000+ miles of local highways, which is the result of prolonged periods of very wet weather over successive winters, and we know these are a cause of frustration to both residents and road users.

“This is why we are investing more money to make Hampshire’s roads stronger. Last year we allocated an extra £22.5m to specifically target reactive road repairs, with £15m of this available up to April 2025. This, together with extra funding from the Government announced late last year for road improvement schemes, is helping us to address more potholes more quickly, and help make our roads more resilient.”