HEREFORDSHIRE has come joint bottom of a national survey on potholes.

And despite considerable investment in the county problem in the last year, public annoyance with the issue appears only to have grown.

The wide-ranging annual survey by the independent National Highways and Transport Network (NHTN) found growing public anger nationally over potholes, with all but two of the 96 areas surveyed showing satisfaction levels at 25 per cent or lower.

The county was one of three local authorities, along with East Sussex and Nottinghamshire, to come joint bottom , with just 5 per cent, or one in 20 residents satisfied.

Worse for Herefordshire, this figure has actually dropped four percentage points since last year’s survey.

Sharon Andrews, director of NTHN which carries out the surveys at councils’ behest, said that despite recent investment nationally in roads maintenance, “that has been mostly on A and B roads, and not a lot on U (unclassified) roads which people notice more”.

She explained that local highways authorities “are required by the government to engage with the public on roads and transport, and through the survey we do that for them”.

A Herefordshire Council spokesperson said: “Potholes are a major issue for all highway authorities up and down the country, which is reflected in these results.

“We carry out regular inspections of the road network, which is over 2,100 miles in length, to keep it in a safe condition, with any defects that are identified being assessed on the basis of risk.

“We will continue to work proactively to tackle potholes and to invest in the county’s road network within allocated budgets and grants from government.”

On top of a £19m government grant to maintain the county’s road network, the council is investing more than £19m of its own money in the current financial year, “as it recognises that Herefordshire highways are a priority”, the spokesperson added.