Banbury's 'infamous pothole' and water leak are set to be fixed after more than a year of complaints
A large pothole and water leak that has frustrated Banbury drivers for well over a year may finally be getting fixed.
For over a year and a half, Banbury residents have complained about a pothole and a build-up of water at the corner of A4260/Upper Windsor Street and Swan Close Road.
Despite numerous reports on Fix My Street, the drain on the road has remained blocked, frequently leading to flooding and the large pothole becoming hidden from drivers' sight.
Now plans are in place to clear the blockage and resurface the section of road where the pothole is located.
The county council says it will give the blocked water drain a thorough clean next week (February 16) and carry out a permanent repair on the pothole when possible.
A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: “There is a long-standing issue around lime scaling deposits within a highway drain, creating the system to be restricted and causing water to push up into the road surface.
“The system requires specialist cleaning to remove the deposits. Crews are geared up to attend on 16 February to clean and jet the whole system in that area to at least keep the water within the drainage system.
“Once resolved, then we can do a permanent repair to the carriageway surface.”
The flooding has not only frustrated drivers but also resulted in pedestrians having to find alternative walking routes when it is at its worst.
Jenny Williams says she often walks into the town centre after completing her shopping at Morrisons.
She said: “I quite often walk into town and find myself stepping over this torrent of water to cross the road.”
Thames Water say they are aware of the leak on Upper Windsor Street and will investigate it further as soon as possible.
Many residents have complained that the flooding is also a serious safety risk, particularly when temperatures drop and the water freezes.
One resident wrote on Fix My Street: “This is getting seriously dangerous now with the icy weather.
“I witnessed a cyclist trying to navigate the path and the ice. The cyclist hit the ice and fell off onto the pavement.”