North West Leicestershire’s roads are in a shocking state and nowhere is that more obvious than on the A511 in Coalville. But this is no longer just a story about potholes and delays. It is a story about failed leadership, missed opportunities, and a Reform-led administration at County Hall that is simply not delivering.
The A511 is the lifeline of the largest town in the constituency. Thousands of residents depend on it every single day to get to work, take their children to school, and keep local businesses running. When that road fails, Coalville feels it immediately. And right now, it is failing.
When I was first elected as a County Councillor in 2021, residents were promised a long-term solution. A £42 million improvement scheme, including road widening and a relief road, was meant to future-proof this vital route. Years of planning and development had already gone into it. Today, that cost has nearly doubled, yet the work has still not begun. Despite attempts by the Reform UK administration to claim credit, the reality is stark. The project has been delayed yet again until at least the end of this year.
But while they pose for headlines, the condition of the road has deteriorated at an alarming rate.
Over the past 12 months in particular, the A511 has gone from poor to dangerous. Potholes are no longer occasional hazards. They are a constant feature. The Morrisons roundabout remains in an unacceptable state despite repeated reports. At Hoo Ash island, repair crews recently attended the site, fixed parts of the junction, and then left some of the worst defects untouched. The equipment was there. The workforce was there. Yet the job was only half done. That is not just inefficient, it is a complete waste of taxpayers’ money.
Collapsed drains have been another major issue. Some took months to be addressed despite posing serious risks to road users. One near the leisure centre was nothing short of a danger to life. It should never have taken repeated chasing to get action.
This is the reality of Reform’s management of our highways. Slow responses, patchwork repairs, and a lack of any clear grip on the basics. Residents are paying the price both financially and in terms of their safety.
And it is not just a local issue. Across the country, the state of our roads is deteriorating. Independent research shows that two thirds of drivers believe road conditions are getting worse, with pothole damage costing motorists £1.8 billion a year. The national backlog for road repairs now stands at a staggering £18.6 billion.
But there is a better way.
The Conservatives have set out a clear and deliverable plan to Get Britain Moving Again. At the heart of this is a new National Potholes Taskforce, backed by £100 million of funding. This would deploy hundreds of modern repair units using the latest technology to fix potholes properly the first time, not just patch them up and return months later to do the same job again.
Crucially, it would also introduce a single national reporting platform. No more confusing systems or fragmented reporting. Residents would be able to report issues quickly and easily, with real-time data ensuring that repairs are prioritised and tracked properly.
We know this approach works. Conservative-run councils consistently outperform others when it comes to road maintenance, repairing significantly more miles of road each year. Where there is focus, accountability, and proper management, results follow.
That is what is missing in Leicestershire right now.
This is not about a lack of funding. Central government has provided the resources. It is about a lack of delivery. Reform’s approach has been long on rhetoric and short on results. Announcements are made, credit is claimed, but the roads continue to crumble.
North West Leicestershire deserves better than half-finished repairs and endless delays. We need a highways strategy that is proactive, not reactive. One that fixes problems properly, the first time. One that respects the fact that for many residents, their car is not a luxury, it is a necessity.
The A511 should be a symbol of progress and connectivity. Instead, it has become a symbol of everything that is going wrong.
We can fix this. We know how to fix it. But it requires leadership, competence, and a willingness to get the basics right.
Until that happens, residents will continue to pay the price for Reform’s failure to deliver.
