A pothole-filled section of a rural road in Holme Pierrepont could be gated off and closed to vehicles by the end of the year to end ‘rat running’ by motorists and improve safety for walkers and cyclists.
Holme Lane connects Adbolton Lane and Sandy Lane to the west and leads to Radcliffe-on-Trent to the east.
An unsurfaced section of the road acts as a byway that is technically open to motorists, but has no proper road surface.
The byway is owned and maintained by Nottinghamshire County Council and can be used as a rat run by cars trying to avoid congestion on the nearby A52.
It is due to be closed for up to five days from Monday (Aug 5) so repair work can be done on the deteriorating surface.
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Roger Upton, Nottinghamshire County Councillor and a Rushcliffe Borough Council for Radcliffe-on-Trent also said the byway is due to be put under a traffic regulation order to stop vehicles accessing the section entirely.
He said: “It will just be available to walkers, horse riders and cyclists and will be closed off with wooden gates at either end.
“It needs some work doing, the potholes are deep and not good, hopefully by the end of the year we will close it off to motor cars and will be a nice rural walk for walkers and cyclists.”
As the byway section past the hall is legally considered the same as a footpath, there is no requirement to maintain it to a standard needed by motor vehicles.
As a result, the route has been continuously worn down by detouring cars, leaving its condition unsuitable for travel.
One nearby business owner, who asked not to be named said: “It’s that bad I wouldn’t go on it in a tractor.
“It’s awful – the bumps, hollows – it’s bad for the suspension, it’s what I call a third world road.”
@westbridgfordwirenews A pothole-filled section of a rural road in Holme Pierrepont could be gated off and closed to vehicles by the end of the year to end ‘rat running’ by motorists and improve safety for walkers and cyclists. Holme Lane connects Adbolton Lane and Sandy Lane to the west and leads to Radcliffe-on-Trent to the east. An unsurfaced section of the road acts as a byway that is technically open to motorists, but has no proper road surface. The byway is owned and maintained by Nottinghamshire County Council and can be used as a rat run by cars trying to avoid congestion on the nearby A52. It is due to be closed for up to five days from Monday (Aug 5) so repair work can be done on the deteriorating surface. . #potholes #nottingham #fyp #foryoupage #breakingnews #nottinghamshire #nottinghamnews #CapCut ♬ original sound West Bridgford Wire News
Another nearby resident, who also asked to remain anonymous, described the byway as being like “the surface of the moon- it’s more pothole than road”.
One driver living in the area, who did not want to be named, feared for the damage to his car when he used the track in spring.
He said: “When the A52 was closed overnight I used it to go between Radcliffe and West Bridgford, there was a queue of cars, you had to go at 10mph, I was genuinely worried about damaging the axle of my car or flooding the car from the deep puddles.
“There were signs saying to not access it but because I didn’t know the area I followed other drivers down the road.”
In a previous response to a freedom of information of act request about the safety and status of the track, County Council officers said: “The byway is used as a rat run by cars, particularly when there is congestion on the A52.
“There is a balance between surfacing the byway to enable those on foot, horseback and cycle to pass and re-pass and to prevent the route being used as a main through road. As soon as we improve the surface, vehicle traffic and speeds increase.”
