Potholed road compared to 'patchwork quilt'

A woman says her street has deteriorated beyond repair because of reoccurring potholes.

Lyndon Buck has lived on Dunkirk Avenue in Desborough for eight years, and is now calling for the entire road to be fully relaid.

North Northamptonshire Council said it was "aware of the recent deterioration" and it was "continually reviewed".

Buck said: "It's a patchwork quilt. It's not a road. I think the road is past repairing, and so does everybody else I talk to. What we need is the road to be properly relaid."

Earlier this month, the Department for Transport rated 154 local highway authorities as red, amber or green based on road conditions, following best practice and how well they were using government funds.

North Northamptonshire Council was rated amber, while West Northamptonshire Council was rated red.

Buck said maintenance crews had been to Dunkirk Avenue on several occasions in recent weeks, filling in holes only for them to open back up again a few days later.

"Every time [the council] fill one hole, one or two more appear, it's just crazy," she said.

The Reform UK-run authority said the road was inspected every six months and was last checked in July 2025.

Since 1 July, it had received 40 reports about the street's condition, with 32 made since 9 January 2026.

Buck also urged the leader of North Northamptonshire Council to personally come out to the road to assess it.

"Martin Griffiths, come and have a look, see what it's like, see how dangerous it is for both traffic and pedestrians. It needs the top man to come and have a look and really understand what the problem is," she added.

The local authority said crews would return on 22 and 23 January to carry out "more durable" repairs across the affected section.

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