Law enforcement and the Public Works Department in Cornwall, England are hunting for a mysterious motorist who decided to take action and repair a massive pothole in the middle of the road. The incident took place on Tanhouse Road and Bodmin Hill in Lostwithiel, causing major inconvenience for locals who had to find alternative routes to avoid the area.
The road was officially closed at the beginning of April due to ongoing issues with drainage that had caused the road surface to deteriorate. However, a month had passed with no action from the government, leaving the pothole untouched. Frustrated with the lack of progress, an anonymous individual took matters into their own hands and filled the pothole with concrete over the first weekend in May. This DIY repair temporarily reopened the road and improved conditions for motorists. However, Cornwall Council’s road repair company Cormac closed the road once again because the work had not been done officially by their team.
Now, the chiefs of Cornwall Highways are determined to find the person responsible for the unauthorized repair. They have also mentioned that the anonymous individual removed the signs without consent, adding to the mystery. Meanwhile, the road is set to remain closed until 9th June as Cormac works to catch up with the backlog of pothole repairs.
Colin Martin, the Cornwall councilor for Lanreath and Lostwithiel, described the pothole as a “perfect metaphor” for the underinvestment that is causing the public sector to crumble. He expressed his frustration, stating, “Over the past two years, the Conservatives running Cornwall Council have cut the budget for road resurfacing and proactive maintenance. As a result of this short-sighted decision, potholes are now appearing across Cornwall faster than Cormac can fill them in.”
This incident reminds us of a similar situation in 2017, when a resident of Toronto took matters into his own hands to build a new set of park stairs for a community garden. The city estimated the cost of the stairs to be between $65,000 to $150,000, but the man managed to build it himself for just $550. However, the city was not pleased with his initiative. To find out what they did, continue reading!