Letter: Potholes - Council is living in La La Land

As somebody who has lived in Harrogate for 43 years, I do not recall the extent of the pothole problems ever being this bad.

I travel on many of the local roads using three different means of transport, car, motor scooter and bicycle and challenge CounMackenzie to join me on a trip around Arthurs Avenue and Beckwith Road on a small wheeled motor scooter where you literally take your life in your hands on every trip.

As users of the road, we are instructed to get our heads up and look out for potential hazards ahead.

This is impossible on many of the roads in Harrogate as your vision is focused totally on which pothole is likely to throw you off your bike/scooter or damage your car.

One last point, as previously stated I ride a bicycle and thoroughly enjoyed the Tour de France and Tour de Yorkshire events. I am however concerned that a disproportionate portion of the local authority’s highways budget is being spent on making route roads pristine for the one day a year the race takes place to the detriment of spending on the roads that really need sorting out.

Richard Cooper

Harrogate

(Editor’s note: The author is not the leader of the council who shares the same name)