'It's terrifying' - Motorists fear trouble over sinkhole, 'left for two years', in Banbury town
Motorists have voiced horror over a ‘sinkhole’ in a Banbury street posing a danger to vehicles and pedestrians.
Some say the pothole, in Lower Cherwell Street, has been left unrepaired for two years. An anonymous person posted videos of the hole, leading to a cavernous underground space, on Banburyshire Info Facebookpage.
The correspondent said: “The council has not carried out any proper repairs. The only action taken was the installation of warning bollards.
“Underneath the road surface, there is a serious loss of ground and in my opinion, the situation poses a real risk of collapse at any moment. “Despite this, no effective action has been taken to address the issue.
“I am concerned for the safety of road users and pedestrians and I believe this matter requires urgent attention before a serious incident occurs.”
Others described the sinkhole as ‘terrifying’, ‘horrendous’ and ‘shocking’.
One said: “You could be forgiven for thinking we’re living in a third World Country”
Another said: “This road is so dangerous for pedestrians. I walk down here to collect my son from nursery and cars park all the way down on the paths meaning people have to walk in the road. It’s not well lit and hard to see.”
Fears were expressed that cars, vans and buses that run down the road are in danger of going through the road surface if it collapses.
A spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council said: “Our highway teams are aware of this issue and are investigating options for carrying out repairs which will fit in with the various businesses in the vicinity. No timeframes are available at the moment, but the urgency is recognised.”