Pothole in Banbury area village so deep it risks turning trailers over

The pothole has claimed numerous victims travelling along the A361 towards Chipping Warden. Film taken from a nearby first floor window show a 4x4 hitting it and its trailer risking tipping over.

The footage, by Carl Jelfs, can be seen here. The danger is made much worse by the fact that heavy rain, gathering and draining down the steep banks next to it, have filled the pothole making it appear level.

It is one pothole in a stretch of badly damaged road surface on this main road to Daventry and the M1.

Mr Jelfs said on his post: “The pit gets bigger by the day and as can be seen the HS2 and big trucks have no hesitation in pulling right over into the oncoming traffic.”

He said signs or traffic lights should be put in place to ensure motorists’ safety.

Angry villagers made their voices known on the village Facebook page. One man said: “How is this even slightly acceptable? It’s dangerous. Imagine a motorbike going through. They would be off over the handle bars.”

A lorry driver said: “it’s the worst bit of road I have seen and I do a lot of miles as a lorry driver and this is the most dangerous bit of road I see. It’s unacceptable to have a road in this condition and dangerous.

Amid calls for a Wardington bypass similar to Chipping Warden’s, a reader said: “They cant bypass it, the landowners won't sell fields and they haven't got the money anyway for any other solution (it’s) all been suggested before. They dont care who gets killed on that road, as long as all those concrete bridge sections get delivered.”

Local councillor Cllr Chris Brant offered to intervene and the Banbury Guardian sent an urgent message to the Oxfordshire County Council press office on Saturday.

A spokesman for Oxfordshire Highways Authority said today (Monday): “Our inspector for A and B routes is on site this morning.

“Our highways contractor will be attending the site with the Bobcat machine tomorrow morning.”