Local roads in Haringey would be better and last longer if Haringey Council stopped “slap-dash” repairs and resurfacing practices. Currently, when resurfacing roads contractors conceal manhole covers with tarmac, making them inaccessible for drain repairs, and making roads weak and prone to damage. Local Liberal Democrats asked, last week, at a meeting of Haringey Council’s watchdog committee for Haringey Council to stop shoddy resurfacing and raise manholes to road surface level.

Cllr Newton, Liberal Democrat Highways and Transport spokesperson, comments:

“This is symptomatic of the slap-dash attitude of the Labour administration. It is nonsense to be resurfacing a road by covering manholes and losing access to the services underneath – and at the same time producing a weak surface that will end up having to have repairs month on month.

“Residents are rightly fed up with a system that plasters over the cracks rather than carrying out a proper job which would make our roads better, safer and, in the long run save Haringey Council money.”

Lynne Featherstone MP, adds:

“It’s ridiculous to be repairing roads but covering over manholes that often leak and you need to dig up again if you need to inspect the drain. Only Haringey Council could do this and think it is right.”