Council admits making error after repainting bus stop in Northamptonshire village which has not been used for nine months
West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has admitted making an error after repainting road markings at a village bus stop, which is no longer in use.
The mistake was called out by the Liberal Democrat group on the authority, who shared a photo of the freshly painted road marking in Ashby Road, Braunston.
Ward councillor, Rosie Humphreys (Lib Dem), told the LDRS that the painting error was spotted last week, despite the bus route being terminated nine months ago.
WNC has said the mistake will be remedied by its contractor “at no additional expense”.
Jonathan Harris, the Lib Dem group leader on WNC, described the mistake as “wasted money”. He wrote in a post on Facebook that it was “especially insulting when our roads have caused chaos for drivers over the past few weeks and resembles the surface of the moon”.
Cllr Humphreys added: “Who authorised that and what did it cost?
“I’ve been expressing my frustration on behalf of residents, really because there’s been so many instances recently of people’s tyres being burst by potholes.
“This is unacceptable, so many people have had vehicle damage and there’s a lack of communication on how [the council is] managing this emergency highway situation.”
The LDRS asked WNC what the cost of incorrectly repainting the bus stop was.
A council spokesman said: “This work to remark a stop on a former bus route was carried out in error.
“It will be remedied by our contractor at no additional expense to the taxpayer.”
Cllr Humphreys added that over the past month she had reported many dangerous potholes and issues with gritting major A-roads in her ward, after being contacted by residents who had suffered damage to their vehicles.
The council released a statement last week, saying that its road network is currently facing significant pressure following a prolonged spell of wet weather combined with extended freezing conditions. It said emergency repairs are being prioritised while the rate of new defects is outpacing its ability to respond in the usual way.
WNC has also recently been given a ‘red’ rating – the worst of three gradings – for how it manages potholes.