Drivers experience substantial vehicle damage from A361 pothole as repairs continue

Motorists report that a prominent pothole on a rural section of the A361, located between Glastonbury and Shepton Mallet, has resulted in hundreds of pounds in vehicle damage. This road defect has been brought to the attention of the local council. Mahala Grubb, a resident of Evercreech, stated that her car sustained over £350 in damage, elaborating: “It was a four-inch pothole about 20cm to 30cm long and caused huge damage.” Somerset Council confirmed it has received reports regarding the road damage and is conducting an investigation, noting that repairs necessitated by Storm Darragh have been “unprecedented”. Ms Grubb further described the pothole on the A361 in Pilton as being situated on a “really narrow stretch of road” and containing a “huge” puddle of water, making it difficult for many drivers to avoid. She added: “I had to get two new tyres and the tracking done and I only got the car two weeks ago. It cost around £350 – not great just before Christmas.” She also mentioned: “I heard there were about 20 other people affected at a garage in Shepton and 15 others affected at a garage in Glastonbury.” Concluding her statement, she said: “I’ve submitted a claim but these potholes need to be fixed properly, not just temporarily.” Somerset Council has been informed about the pothole and has verified that an initial repair has been carried out. Richard Wilkins, the Lib Dem lead member for transport on Somerset Council, commented: “Across Somerset, we have more than 6,700 miles of highway and so it’s a huge job.” He further stated: “Since April, we’ve fixed more than 14,000 potholes.” Wilkins added: “We try to invest into preventative treatments but bad weather like Storm Darragh, makes small defects a lot worse.”