Barnhurst Lane Remains Closed as Pothole Repairs Drag On Beyond Schedule
A road described as so dangerous it has been compared to the lunar surface remains closed to traffic weeks after it was supposed to reopen. Barnhurst Lane in Bilbrook, Wolverhampton, was shut down last month due to severe safety concerns caused by multiple deep potholes.
Initially, Bilbrook Parish Council announced the closure would last just one week, from February 19 to February 26. However, at the time of reporting, the road is still inaccessible to drivers, with a diversion via Wobaston Road and The Droveway remaining in place.
Local Frustration Over Repair Delays
In a Facebook post on February 19, the Parish Council stated, "Barnhurst Lane is closed with immediate effect for safety reasons due to multiple potholes." The post has since been removed, but local residents were quick to voice their skepticism in the comments.
One resident, Simon Bright, commented, "Don't hold your breath. It will probably be a patch bodge job and it won’t occur to them to clean the blocked drain out [which is] the cause of all the problems." Another person vividly described the road as having 'more craters than the moon'.
Steve Cooper, who uses the road regularly, dubbed it "dangerous," particularly for motorbike riders. Tracie Painter added, "About time!!! Let’s hope they relay the whole road and not just patch it or it’ll be back like it within weeks."
Clarification on Repair Responsibilities
The Parish Council later clarified in a separate update that while they share concerns about dangerous potholes in Bilbrook, they have no authority or equipment to repair roads. All repairs are the legal responsibility of Staffordshire County Council Highways.
"The Parish Council does, however, work to ensure the most dangerous potholes are flagged with Highways," they stated. "If a dangerous pothole has been reported but remains unfixed, the Parish Council will follow up with County Highways and our County Councillor."
They noted that Highways require reference numbers to expedite issues and that scheduling relies on the county's timeline, with responses not always direct.
County Council Response and Funding
Peter Mason, Cabinet Member for Strategic Highways at Staffordshire County Council, addressed the situation, citing years of government underfunding and recent wet weather as factors putting pressure on roads. He reported that emergency pothole repairs are up 25% compared to last year.
"Our crews have already carried out a number of repairs on the lane, however, more substantial works to address the remaining issues are still required," Mason said. "These will be carried out over the coming weeks and once the road has been made safe, it will be reopened. We do appreciate people’s patience during the works and thank them for their cooperation."
He added that the council has committed an extra £15 million over the next two years to tackle the pothole backlog across Staffordshire. A new initiative, the Roadmap to a Better Network, aims to improve response times and effectiveness for highways issues.
"There’s more to do, but we’re determined to turn things around and deliver visible improvements for our residents," Mason concluded.
