The Conservatives have called on the Green Party to spend more money repairing roads and pavements in Brighton and Hove.
The call comes as councillors prepare to discuss a proposal to put £325,000 into filling hundreds of potholes throughout the area.
The sum is part of the £9 million planned spending in the coming financial year – starting from April – with £2.6 million set aside to strengthen the A259 King’s Road Arches by the West Pier.
Brighton and Hove City Council also plans to use £1 million to pay for road reconstruction work to help avoid the need to spend money on the future repair of potholes.
The opposition Conservative group leader Councillor Geoffrey Theobald said: “The Green administration has put an awful lot of time, money and effort over the last three years into schemes such as 20mph zones, Lewes Road, Eastern Road and the Seven Dials.
“As a result I believe that they have taken their eye off the ball on the basic fundamentals such as road and pavement repairs, street lighting and pedestrian crossings.
“That is why I shall be moving an amendment to the Policy and Resources Committee report calling for a greater proportion of the money to be spent on highway maintenance.”
The Conservatives’ transport spokesman Councillor Graham Cox said: “It is not just motorists who would benefit from this extra funding.
“I am getting many complaints from cyclists about an increasing number of damaging and dangerous potholes on the roads and also from pedestrians who have seen an alarming deterioration in the state of the city’s pavements.
“It’s time for the Greens to do the basics – repair the roads and collect the rubbish.”
Councillor Ian Davey, the Greens’ transport spokesman, said: “We welcome the Tories’ support for our proposals.
“We’re investing more in road renewal than they ever did and since coming to administration we have brought in around £10 million of external funding to the city for transport schemes – meaning more can be spent locally on other areas of transport like maintenance and resurfacing.
“Unlike the Tories, who cut transport funding in favour of other projects, we’ve maintained spending on transport in recognition of the importance of a good highways network to our city’s residents, visitors and businesses, however they choose to travel.
“We’re working hard to meet the challenges of a growing city.
“Our infrastructure is the backbone of Brighton and Hove’s economy and that is why we are investing more in these projects than the city has seen in recent years.
“It is only through investing in our future – including resurfacing roads and rebuilding our seafront – that we will continue to develop our reputation as a visitor destination and economic powerhouse.
Definitely need to sort out roads for cyclists – western/church/new church roads are hazardous – good luck if you have thin wheels on your bike..
Definitely need to sort out roads for cyclists – western/church/new church roads are hazardous – good luck if you have thin wheels on your bike..
I think the roads in the city can be summed up as being a series of potholes joined up with a bit of tarmac. Much of the problem stems from excavations and very poor reinstatement buy the various utillities, Dyke Road Avenue being a good example. As a pedestrian the state of the pavements are in many places dangerous with broken slabs, trip hazards etc, particually for the elderly and for those with limited vision.
I have already been down the road ONCE on my motorcycle as a direct result of a pot-hole AND My pal had 2K worth of damage to the suspension and wheels of his car .It is 2014 . We have ancient roads , VICTORIAN sewers and PROFIT is STILL TAKEN BY THE FEW , rather than re-invested in the infrastructure .I pay CAR tax , MOTORCYCLE TAX , COUNCIL TAX . Yet the roads are DANGEROUS . And they think the 20mph limit helps ??? IT JUST MAKES OTHERS PULL OUT IN FRONT OF YOU !!!!Really clever ! Why DO we pay ALL these TAXES ?
I have already been down the road ONCE on my motorcycle as a direct result of a pot-hole AND My pal had 2K worth of damage to the suspension and wheels of his car .It is 2014 . We have ancient roads , VICTORIAN sewers and PROFIT is STILL TAKEN BY THE FEW , rather than re-invested in the infrastructure .I pay CAR tax , MOTORCYCLE TAX , COUNCIL TAX . Yet the roads are DANGEROUS . And they think the 20mph limit helps ??? IT JUST MAKES OTHERS PULL OUT IN FRONT OF YOU !!!!Really clever ! Why DO we pay ALL these TAXES ?