BARNSLEY's road surfaces have long been a touchy subject - and now a road in the town has been named one of the worst in the UK for its potholes.
The B6273 South Moor Road/Moor Lane, which runs from Great Houghton through Brierley Common and on to Hemsworth, was highlighted after data gathered from councils showed there was now one pothole for every mile of road across the country.
A Freedom of Information request by breakdown company Britannia Rescue revealed councils across the country have paid out a total of £2.5million in compensation to motorists in the past financial year for pothole damage to cars.
Cllr Roy Miller, environment spokesman for Barnsley Council, said South Moor Road/Moor Lane was inspected every month and any problems were immediately reported and repaired as soon as possible - most within 24 hours.
He added: "But over the years we're aware of potholes appearing suddenly, especially in winter, and these have been known to lead to a cluster of claims within a short space of time - often within minutes of each other - before we have had chance to undertake repairs.
"The road itself is highly-exposed to the elements, which can accelerate problems such as potholes, but these are unavoidable, not a result of lack of maintenance."
