The triangle from Church Road, leading onto the A271, has potholes in dangerous locations. The one on the left, has been untouched by East Sussex County Council in over five years. Our reporter has gone down that crater umpteen times, each time jarring his suspension and damaging tyres. Especially lower profile tyres, where the steel reinforced bead becomes distorted.

A pothole in Church Road, Herstmonceux, in a very dangerous location, when turning left onto the A271, heading towards the village.

Typically, when a person or corporation charges for services, but then fails to deliver, that gives rise to a claim in compensation for breach of contract.

There is a deemed contract between motorists and the government of the day and the local authority who is responsible for maintaining the roads where your live. If they fail to deliver services to keep the roads where you are safe, it is reasonable to assume that an award of compensation will follow, where you suffer actual damage to your person or your vehicle, or where you are fearful of driving because of the dangers, as in Article 3 mental torture, and this affects your ability to function normally. See the Human Rights Act 1998, and the European Convention, or Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It appears to us that the UK is violating the right to respect for life, that each person who pays towards safe roads, is no longer guaranteed. Simply put, the roads are not safe to drive on in many areas that an ordinary motorist might reasonably expect safe passage.

We think that local Members of Parliament should be personally liable, also the Parish and District councillors responsible for keeping an eye on your roads. The Member of Parliament for Herstmonceux is currently Huw Merriman. But maybe, or rather you may think, hopefully, that will change as the public get a chance to elect someone perhaps a little more proactive for their constituents. Someone who cares about efficient transport, and reduced accident statistics. And an infrastructure that is fit for purpose.

Sure as heck the Royal Family, and the King as Head of State, don't appear to give a damn. Presumably why protestors are looking to abolish the monarchy. And we must admit, that the Royals are doing a pretty good job of negative press. Not least of which is the revelation of potential connections to the slave trade. For sure King Charles II was up to his neck in trading native Africans, and transporting them to the Caribbean and US colonies, for their colonial cotton, sugar and tobacco plantations.

LIFEBLOOD OF THE NATION

Transport is the life blood of any nation. According to our Government website, a modern road network helps traffic move around the country more easily and is essential for economic growth. The present Conservative Government claim to have set out a long-term funding programme to create smooth, smart and sustainable roads. They say that their aim is to ensure that highways work is properly managed.

The Conservatives are saying one thing and doing another. The proof is in the pudding. Take a drive around your area and count the potholes. Note where they are and watch motorists dance around trying to miss the really bad holes in our roads.

Why are we still being charged Road Tax, when it is clear that the Tory Government under Theresa May, Boris Johnson and now Rishi Sunack are not conducting themselves in a manner fit to continue running the country. We'd be better off with Laurel and Hardy.

Take a look at these pictures, and maybe take a few of your own - being careful not to stand in any roads or cause inconvenience to other road users. Why not write to your MP, or the shadow government. Ask for some explanation as to where all of our money is going. Do we really need more nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers? Or, do we need decent roads for our everyday journeys to work and for all of those delivery drivers trying to get goods moving around the country.

POLITICS - If the state of an economy can be measured by the condition of the country's roads, we and neck high in a slurry pit of cow pats. Of course that is true, as anyone looking at our National Debt can see. But how did it get so bad? Where has all our income tax gone? Where has our Road Fund License money gone? Who is taking our money and spending it on other things we do not need. Is our Government corrupt or simply inept? If Boris Johnson is anything to go by, the Conservatives are as bent as a nine bob note. Particularly when it comes to misleading the House of Commons on parties during Covid 19 restrictions. In the picture above, when turning into Church Road from the A271, you will find it difficult to avoid this pothole.

LIFE THREATENING

It's a blooming miracle that there are not more accidents. Every time you swerve to avoid damaging your suspension, you are making a maneuver that could lead to trouble. if you don't take avoiding action, then you will be damaging your tyres as they impact the sharp lip of these tarmac craters. That may not puncture your tyre right away, but with every similar encounter the construction of your rubber interface with our flexible road surfaces is weakened. Eventually, the carcass will give way and you will not be able to pinpoint the cause.

What happens if your tyre blows and cause your vehicle to swerve and hit a pedestrian or cyclist. How will you feel if you run over a child or pregnant woman, or a pensioner who is on their way back from the shops - expecting a safe return home.

You will be the one feeling bad or being prosecuted - not the state. It should be the other way around. The State should be prosecuted for negligence and in some cases: murder.

WEALDEN MP

Our MP at the moment is Nusrat Ghani. It cannot be that she does not know about the mess our roads are in, but why take a chance. Write to Ms Ghani to get her on the record so that she is forced to do something about our appalling highways.

It is not just our roads. If any government allows such basic facilities as a road surface to deteriorate to the point where they are dangerous, what else are they not mending or tending to with due diligence.

We suspect that potholes are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of taking money for a service and then using that money for something else - all the while borrowing to underpin an aura that everything is okay in Blighty. It is not. You can see it for yourself on this page from a sample of photographs that were taken on one short trip from Hailsham in 2018. That was after noticing that potholes have not been repaired, but are much worse - all except one in Herstmonceux village - on a roundabout just before/after a school (2018).

FAST FORWARD TO 2023 - Hailsham is now much worse, with the bridge from the high street an absolute disgrace, and the roads leading to and from the roundabout below, literally, death (serious accident) traps waiting to happen. Why Sussex police are not prosecuting East Sussex County and Wealden District Councils, would be something of a mystery, except - and as you probably know, they are paid by Wealden - hence are not impartial. More the opposite, down right indebted to the corrupt civil servants that hide behind closed doors, and rape you financially for rates far in excess of what any honest council would charge. This is a picture taken in March 2023 on the A271 as you exit Herstmonceux village, down Death Hill, heading toward Suicide Junction on the right (Silver car).

THE OTHER SIDE - In case you did not know it, a rat-run is only popular because the road planners have got their sums wrong and not made the main roads well enough, or well planned enough to service local traffic. In this picture we see the other side of the give-way sign - and yes, sure enough there are potholes on the other side of the road. How come? Surely, East Sussex County Council have a schedule of works to repair holes like this as soon as they appear. You'd think so, but that would involve being efficient and spending money where it is supposed to be spent. Wealden are out borrowing money to buy land in Hailsham town centre - in the process asking the rate payer to fund the interest payments. What then of ESCC. Are they just as irresponsible? no wonder our Council Tax is one of the highest in the country.

ROADS - Potholes in roads are not only dangerous, but also soak up energy with every bump that hinders progress. Pothole Politics is the name for policies that fail to address climate change (sustainable society) issues, but may apply to our pathetic record on adapting to meet the challenges ahead. How can we aim to better ourselves if we cannot even maintain the roads we have.

REPAIRED ONCE ALREADY - The accumulation of gravel has come from vehicles going down this crater. This wear and tear may do better with a stronger repair compound. Who monitors the quality of the tarmac we use on our roads. Should not high traffic areas have a different mix to cope without constant repair after repair. Is there not a high speed repair machine? We certainly need one.

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WASTED INVESTMENT ? - This holding tank and pumping station was built in Church Road, despite the Wildlife Act and Regulations, protecting the fauna in ponds that the developers tried to use to dispose of surface water. In building this unit, it is alleged that Southern Water bulldozed a badger set, due to a poor wildlife survey, or maybe deliberately as a favour to the owners of the greenbelt. Who knows what else may have been involved as counter favours. But for sure, this pumping station was built without the benefit of planning permission. How is it then that raw and untreated sewage is being discharged into the sea by this same company. Surely the cash expended on this site, would have been better spent complying with the law.

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WATER SUPPLY - FOOD TO LIVE - HOUSING FOR SECURITY - ENERGY FOR LIFE

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A TRANSPORT SYSTEM - INDUSTRY & MINING - EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT

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HEALTH CARE - POLICING - FIRE FIGHTING - COMMUNICATIONS - DEFENSE

ROAD LINKS

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/road-network-and-traffic

FOUNDATION - Thomas Jefferson often referred to the term 'good government.' In his opinion, a Government ought to be judged by how well it meets its legitimate objectives. "Legitimate," being the operative word.

"A wise and frugal government which shall restrain men from injuring one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread is has earned. This is the sum of good government. "

From the author of the Declaration of Independence.