Driver says A143, between Bury St Edmunds and Haverhill, is ‘in desperate need’ of a total resurface after telling of pothole ‘chaos’

A driver has hit out at the state of the roads after he came across several vehicles broken down near potholes in one evening.

Piers Fuller, 53, says some 15 vehicles were strewn within 100 yards of an ‘extremely large’ pothole along the A143 at Horringer, near Bury St Edmunds, on Monday evening.

Horringer resident Mr Fuller said the pothole, or potholes, in question, located on the A143 Poulters Lane beside Lady Katharina's Wood, had been repaired just two weeks ago, but had broken up again.

He said on his return from work at about 6pm there were a number of vehicles broken down after he believes they struck the potholes, causing tyre and wheel damage. The police and recovery services were in attendance.

Mr Fuller, who works at a GP surgery in Haverhill, said: “It was absolute chaos really.

“They must have hit the pothole and then pulled off into the verge and then the cars just got stuck because the verges are wet.

“I just felt so sorry for these people. It is like a sticking plaster situation. They [Suffolk Highways] are doing these temporary repairs that last like two minutes.”

A Suffolk Police spokesman said they were called at 5.45pm on Monday to six or seven vehicles blocking the road due to two large potholes on the A143 at Horringer and highways were called to fix them.

Mr Fuller, who was a parish councillor in Horringer for about 12 years, said of this ‘latest fiasco’ on the roads: “Once again road users have been let down by poor highway maintenance.

“The A143 is already poorly maintained and this latest failing by Suffolk Highways is just another reminder of their inability to fix and properly maintain our deteriorating road network.”

He dismissed claims that the winter weather has caused the increase in potholes on the roads.

“It’s the lack year on year on year of any repairs, or proper repairs, being done and now it’s just catching up on them.”

He added: “It’s a crazy situation. If they don’t do anything about it, what’s it going to be like in the next five years? It will be better to drive on a ploughed field than the roads.”

He also said the ‘sticking plaster’ temporary repairs was ‘short-sightedness’.

He said the A143 between Bury and Haverhill was ‘in desperate need’ of a total resurface due to the number of potholes and defects along the length of the road.

“As well as this, in the winter months there are also many sections that often flood in the same place and are extremely dangerous for motorists,” he added.

Colin Knight, chairman of Horringer cum Ickworth Parish Council, said the current state of the roads was ‘definitely’ a problem.

He added: “Like everywhere else, we suffer with potholes that seem to get temporarily patched up and reappear.”

A spokeswoman for Suffolk Highways said: “The A143 is subject to a monthly, routine safety inspection which is due next week.

“Any defects, such as potholes we find that meet our criteria will be raised for a repair.

“The pothole in question has formed quickly within the last month, most likely due to heavy volumes of traffic, rainfall and colder temperatures.”