Warning signs have been put up in the town's Fitzalan Road, one of the worst-affected roads, where craters make the surface look more like the surface of the moon than a well-maintained public highway.

Gazette readers have also highlighted pothole perils in the area – some have had tyres and suspension damaged by the crumbling roads.

Replaced tyres

Andrew Brown, of Wheatcroft, Wick, had to replace the tyres on the same wheel of his BMW convertible twice in the space of a week after hitting a pothole in Courtwick Road, near the junction of Wick Street.

"It's been there a couple of months and has been getting worse all the time.

"It shouldn't cost much to repair, so why don't they get on with it," he complained.

West Sussex County Council, which is responsible for roads maintenance, has called on the government to provide more cash to patch up the pitted road surfaces.

More money

County council leader Henry Smith has written to Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon highlighting the problems, including potholes, that the severe weather is now causing on the county's road network.

He said: "I have also made Mr Hoon fully aware of the low level of government funding West Sussex receives from the government towards highway maintenance, and asked him to look at this as a matter of urgency."

The letter to Mr Hoon says: "What worries me particularly is our ability to fully repair the damage being wreaked upon our road infrastructure due to a long-term shortfall in central government grants.

"Several weeks of sub-zero temperatures, followed by periods of heavy rain, have now contributed to a growing pothole problem on many of the county's strategic roads as well as our more rural roads."

Mr Smith added council workers faced an "immense" task in patching up the county's roads, and pointed out that the weather had also prevented repairs because the materials could not be used in very cold, wet conditions.

Comments:

Alexander Sedlmayr, "Yes, we do get annoyed by the potholes and the constant wear and tear on our cars that the garages love so much."

Hannah Tomlinson Challen, "Woodlands Avenue, Rustington is bad!"

Simon Stuart, "They are a nightmare. The worst is in Fitzalan Road. I end up swerving to avoid them."

Terri Rawlings, "Surely they are a danger!"

Zoe Daniels, "Parts of Wick look like it has been cluster-bombed!"

Mick Cripps, "Have paid out to have tracking done, hit a pothole in Littlehampton."

Potholes can be reported to the county council via the web www.westsussex.gov.uk or on 01243 642105.

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