Residents' fury over road with 'worst potholes'

People living in a street in Kent that has been plagued by potholes for years are demanding action.

Residents of Abbey Road, Strood, say there are exposed concrete, crumbling tarmac and potholes "several inches deep", damaging their vehicles for more than 10 years.

James Harris told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): "It's always been bad, but over the past few years I think it's been getting worse. It's untenable."

A Medway Council spokesperson said: "Following reports on the condition of Abbey Road in Strood, our highway engineers have attended and works are due to be carried out this week to repair a number of defects."

They said further assessment of the road was due to take place.

They added the local authority has completed 16 large resurfacing projects and more than 90 smaller resurfacing projects so far this financial year.

Harris, 46, who has lived on the street for 13 years, claimed the "poor maintenance" of the road has cost him "thousands" in vehicle repairs.

Long-term resident Alec Jackson claimed the road was "the worst he's ever seen it".

The 81-year-old, who regularly rides his tricycle in the area, added he has nearly been "flung from his seat" when navigating the road.

"Motorists just hear a bang on their wheels, but me, I've got to dodge all the holes as I'm sat amongst it," he said.

Retirees Pamela and Michael Smith said they felt "disheartened" and the state of the road was a "disgrace".

Assessments which have been carried out of Abbey Road say the road is "structurally sound" due to a concrete base, despite the deterioration of the top layer of tarmac.

The LDRS reported Medway Council has repaired 3,162 potholes between April 2025 and December 2025.

But between 2024 and 2025, 7,252 repairs were carried out, compared to 16,373 between 2023 and 2024.

A Medway Council spokesperson said the local authority was responsible for maintaining more than 845km (525 miles) of roads across the borough.

"Over the past year, we have improved our programme of road repairs, moving away from temporary individual pothole repairs to more effective long-term patching," they said.

"However, as with councils across the country, the financial constraints we face mean repairs have to be prioritised to ensure the resources we have are directed in the places they are most needed."

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