A SOUTHAMPTON business says it is located in the worst kept road in the city.

A spokesman for James Huntley & Sons, a scrap metal firm based in Ashley Crescent, Sholing, expressed his frustration to the Daily Echo about the potholes in the road.

More than 50 can be found in the street and the largest one measures 20 feet wide.

The family-run scrap metal business has been operating since 1971, and the spokesman said: “It’s awful, something needs to be done. I’m so fed up of ringing up about it.

“The condition of this road has got increasingly worse over the past three years or so.

“I have rung up the council so many times about this. The last time they came out was more than three years ago but they only filled in the worse ones.

“It damages mine and my colleague’s cars and our customers are fed up with it.”

Not only is the road filled with cavities, all of the drains in the street are also blocked and he said: “They have been like that for as long as I can remember.”

Gary Harris, yard manager at the business, said: “I have recently had to replace the lower control arm on my car because of these potholes.

“They have smashed my suspension to pieces. I’m so fed up with it.”

It is not just the firm frustrated with the condition of the road, city councillor Graham Wilkinson, who represents Sholing ward, described the street as ‘a mess.’

Cllr Graham Wilkinson said: “I agree that the street is a mess and that it needs a proper resurface.

“The council need to take notice of local people. By ignoring them they are upsetting them. The council do have a team who go out and fill in pot holes at random.

“The businesses on Ashley Crescent pay their way so they shouldn’t have to deal with this.”

Councillor James Baillie, who also represents Sholing ward, also said that the road was in poor condition.

He said: “I’m unsurprised that people are upset about this road. Myself and my fellow councillors will do what we can to push to get what residents and local businesses deserve.”

Daily Echo:

The news comes after the Daily Echo reported on how £13m had been set aside to fix Southampton’s roads in March this year.

At Hampshire County Council, Cllr Rob Humby, executive member for environment and transport, said: “With our budgets already under pressure, we estimate we would need around three times as much.”

Councillor Jacqui Rayment, cabinet member from transport and public realm at the city council, said: “If anyone would like to report this issue to me then they are more than welcome to.”

With winter approaching the pothole problem is likely to worsen.