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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
Kate Wilson

We visited Bristol and South Gloucestershire's worst roads for potholes a year on - this is what's changed

It's been a year since Bristol Live published a definitive list of the city’s WORST roads according to our readers.

At the time hundreds of you responded to a Facebook page calling on readers to let us know what their roads were like.

A year on we have visited the same roads to see what they look like now.

Have there been any improvements, or have they been left to get worse?

Take a look through the list below and see what, if anything, has changed.

1. Coniston Road, Patchway

This one received the most mentions by far from readers last year, who clearly think Coniston Road in Patchway is the worst road in the city. From the pictures it was easy to see why people thought so especially with that strip of potholes in the middle of the road.

But what does it look like now?

Coniston Road, Patchway (David Betts Photography)
Coniston Road, Patchway (David Betts Photography)

Well it looks like a lot of repair work has taken place over the last year -  almost like a brand new road.

I imagine motorists travelling along here now feel a lot happier that their car won't suffer any pothole damage.

2. Southmead Road near BAWA club

Five people called out Southmead Road for its terrible potholes. One pothole was so big the Highways team was forced to put cones around it to stop motorists driving over it.

But what does it look like now?

G.V's of roads in Bristol that last year were damaged by potholes. Kate Wilson feature. Southmead Road near BAWA. Copyright: BristolLive Photographer: David Betts Photography Taken on: 16/08/2019
G.V's of roads in Bristol that last year were damaged by potholes. Kate Wilson feature. Southmead Road near BAWA. Copyright: BristolLive Photographer: David Betts Photography Taken on: 16/08/2019

It looks like a lot of repair work has also taken place on this stretch of road. The cones are now gone - as is the hole they were surrounding.

And it seems like the potholes in the middle of the street have also been filled in - although the road already starting to look slightly damaged again.

3. Filton side of the MOD roundabout

The last thing you want when you're trying to concentrate on a busy roundabout is a nasty bump from one of these bad boys. Three people called this road out for its poor quality last year.

What do they look like now?

Filton side of MOD roundabout (David Betts Photography)
Filton side of MOD roundabout (David Betts Photography)

However it seems like a bumpy drive around this roundabout has become a thing of the past. Once again it looks like work has taken place to repair the damage.

Whitchurch Road by the old Bishopsworth swimming pool

Last year it was clear that Whitchurch Road in Bishopsworth had certainly seen better days. It was particularly bad by the former Bishopsworth swimming pool. Just look at the state of it.

But what about now?

Whitchurch Road by the old Bishopsworth swimming pool (James Beck/Freelance)
Whitchurch Road by the old Bishopsworth swimming pool (James Beck/Freelance)
Whitchurch Road by the old Bishopsworth swimming pool (James Beck/Freelance)

It looks like the road has been resurfaced - although there still apears to be some damage in the middle of the road. But it looks so much better now.

Kings Weston Lane, Lawrence Weston

Kings Weston Lane at the junction with St Andrew's Road in Avonmouth was in pretty horrendous condition this time last year.

But what about now?

Kings Weston Lane, Lawrence Weston (David Betts Photography)
Kings Weston Lane, Lawrence Weston (David Betts Photography)

Looking much better. Bristol City Council's highways team has clearly been busy filing in potholes.

St Andrews Road, Avonmouth

And St Andrews Road had some pretty whopping potholes last year - but what about now?

St Andrews Road, Avonmouth (David Betts Photography)
St Andrews Road, Avonmouth (David Betts Photography)

Still some damage on the street - but so much better than this time last year.

Southway Drive/Victoria Road, Cadbury Heath

Another road absolutely riddled with potholes - echoes of Coniston Road here. It seems some patching up had been done but it didn't look great.

What about now?

Victoria Road, Cadbury Heath (Dan Regan/BristolLive)
Victoria Road, Cadbury Heath (Dan Regan/BristolLive)
Victoria Road, Cadbury Heath (Dan Regan/BristolLive)
Victoria Road, Cadbury Heath (Dan Regan/BristolLive)

Unfortunately for drivers in this area the damage seems to have gotten worse rather than better. Although there has clearly been some effort to make repairs - a lot of work still needs to be done.

Hazelbury Drive, Cadbury Heath

Another road that was in real need of some TLC. Patchwork blanket job in the centre there. But did it get the loving care it needed?

Hazelbury Drive, Cadbury Heath (Dan Regan/BristolLive)
Hazelbury Drive, Cadbury Heath (Dan Regan/BristolLive)
Hazelbury Drive, Cadbury Heath (Dan Regan/BristolLive)

By the looks of things yes it did. That seems like a freshly resurfaced road to me - drivers in the area must be very happy.

A38 by SGS College/Filton Avenue junction

A busy commuter route, a number of readers also pointed the finger at the state of the A38. It's easy to see why.

But what about now?

A38 near SGS College (David Betts Photography)

This one looks much better now! You can actually see the bicycle which is a good sign and it seems the cycle lane has been given a fresh coat of paint.

Gatehouse Avenue, Withywood

There was some damage to the road this time last year - but what about now?

Gatehouse Avenue (James Beck/Freelance)
Gatehouse Avenue (James Beck/Freelance)

Well I feel like cones surrounding damage on the road is never a good sign. Hopefully this means something is being done to fix it though.

Bamfield, Whitchurch

There was one particularly deep pothole on this stretch of road in south Bristol.

What about now?

Bamfield, Whitchurch (James Beck/Freelance)

It looks like a lot of pothole repairs have taken place along the road - bit of a patchwork quilt effect!

Lacey Road, Stockwood

Lacey Road in Stockwood did not looking very neat around the edges. There were a few complaints about this one - but were they listened to?

Lacey Road (James Beck/Freelance)
Lacey Road (James Beck/Freelance)

It looks like they were. Still some damage but nowhere near as bad as last year.

Queens Road roundabout, Bishopsworth

The so-called roundabout on Queens Road in Bishopsworth has been described as our readers as 'more pothole than roundabout'.

But does it still deserve to be seen that way?

Queens Rd roundabout, Bishopsworth (James Beck/Freelance)
Queens Rd roundabout, Bishopsworth (James Beck/Freelance)

Definitely not! The road looks so much better now - clearly a lot of work has been done to bring it up to scratch.

Driving down Highridge Road from Dundry

Country lanes aren't usually in great nick with busier roads prioritised, so this one is slightly more excusable. But has it been looked at in the last year?

Highridge Rd from Dundry (James Beck/Freelance)

Yes - it looks like the council has given it some attention in the past year which I'm sure will make the many motorists who use it very happy

Greystoke Avenue, Southmead

Some parts of Greystoke Avenue in Southmead/ Westbury-on-Trym have certainly seen better days. Potholes seem to be littered up and down this street.

But what about now?

Greystoke Avenue (David Betts Photography)
Greystoke Avenue (David Betts Photography)

It's almost like a brand new road - not a pothole in sight.

Elmore Road, off Coniston Road

Just off the city's worst road (according to readers) we had Elmore Road in Patchway, which was also not in a good state.

But what about a year on?

Elmore Road off Coniston Road (David Betts Photography)
Elmore Road off Coniston Road (David Betts Photography)

Some repair work has definitely taken place in the past year - but it looks like damage is already creeping back. Although looking at last year's pictures there was a lot of damage to fix!

For the latest news in and around Bristol, you can check back on Bristol Live's homepage .

                  
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