MP’s pothole survey reveals 500 danger reports in South Shropshire
The state of South Shropshire’s road network has been described as a "war on driving" following a massive response to a local MP's infrastructure audit.
Stuart Anderson, the Member of Parliament for South Shropshire, has released the findings of his "Pothole Patrol" survey, which drew more than 500 responses from concerned residents. The data paints a bleak picture of the local transport network, with 96.3% of participants reporting that they have been personally affected by road defects, citing either significant vehicle damage or "safety-critical" near misses.
The survey results suggest that the issue is no longer a minor nuisance but a pervasive threat to public safety. According to the data, 98.4% of respondents rated the general condition of local roads as "poor" or "very poor," with nearly four in five choosing the most severe rating. In a damning indictment of the current infrastructure, only 0.4% of those surveyed considered the roads in the constituency to be "good."
Mr Anderson has used the findings to launch a scathing critique of the current Government’s transport priorities. He argued that for thousands of families in the region, driving is an absolute necessity for commuting and school runs. He claimed that the Labour Government has "shelved or abandoned" the previous Conservative administration's 2023 "Plan for Drivers," a move he says is punishing hard-working families through a combination of punitive penalties and "crater-riddled" roads.
The analysis identified specific "danger hotspots" where neglect appears most concentrated. Bridgnorth and Ludlow alone accounted for over a third of all location-specific complaints. The B4364 between Ludlow and Bridgnorth, the A442 near Sutton Maddock, and the B4176, known locally as the "Rabbit Run," were highlighted as some of the most treacherous corridors in the county.
Beyond the physical damage to cars, the report highlighted a growing sense of "rural isolation." Residents informed the MP that they are now avoiding certain routes entirely or adding significant time to their journeys to bypass known hazards. The survey also uncovered a "loss of confidence" in the reporting system; over a third of respondents said they no longer bother to report potholes, citing instances where repairs are marked as "fixed" on official systems despite the holes remaining or reopening within weeks.
In response to the crisis, Mr Anderson has submitted the survey results to Transport Ministers and Shropshire Council. He is calling for the implementation of a national six-point plan, which includes the creation of a "National Pothole Patrol." This initiative would provide local authorities with specialist equipment and dedicated investment to ensure that repairs are permanent rather than temporary "patch jobs."
The MP’s backed proposals also include a wider range of pro-motorist policies, such as axing proposed fuel duty rises and ending blanket 20mph schemes, as he seeks to pressure the Government to pivot back toward supporting rural drivers.
