Poor road conditions in Cheshire hitting taxi drivers’ livelihoods, warns MP
- Perry Richardson
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
A Cheshire taxi firm is among those feeling the financial strain caused by deteriorating road surfaces, Conservative MP Aphra Brandreth has said in a parliamentary debate focused on the state of local roads.
Speaking during an Adjournment debate in Westminster, the MP for Chester South and Eddisbury raised concerns about the real-world impact of poor road maintenance on those who rely on their vehicles for work. Brandreth highlighted the case of David Doyle, who runs a taxi business just outside Tarporley and has seen his income threatened by worsening road conditions.
She explained that Doyle, who spends each day travelling across Cheshire, is routinely forced to dodge potholes. On occasions when his car has been damaged, he has had to cancel jobs, missing out on income and leaving passengers without transport.
“If his car is damaged, he cannot work. He may even have to cancel bookings or leave passengers stranded,” Brandreth told the House. “Someone’s livelihood is being put at risk by the failure to maintain our roads properly.”
Brandreth argued that the issue goes far beyond inconvenience. For professional drivers like Doyle, crumbling road surfaces mean increased vehicle wear, costly repairs, and time off the road. In rural constituencies like Chester South and Eddisbury, where public transport is limited, the dependence on cars is high, making the reliability of roads even more critical.
The MP criticised what she described as a short-term, reactive approach to road maintenance by Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cheshire East Council. She said pothole repairs are often carried out in isolation, with one pothole patched while another just inches away is left untreated due to not meeting repair thresholds.
Brandreth’s comments were supported by other MPs, who shared similar feedback from constituents. She also called for greater strategic planning and improved funding processes, saying that the current system does not support long-term road management.
The debate comes as the national backlog in local road repairs has grown to over £15 billion, up from between £7.6 billion and £11.7 billion in 2019.
Brandreth concluded by urging both government and councils to listen more to those directly affected, including local residents and businesses, and to shift away from what she described as a “patchwork” approach to repairs.
During the discussion Brandreth said: “David Doyle runs a taxi company just outside Tarporley, and he came to see me at one of my mobile advice surgeries to share his growing concerns about the state of our roads. As someone who drives across Cheshire all day, every day, for a living, he sees the problem daily.
“We all know how frustrating, and at times dangerous, it is to dodge potholes, or that moment when we wince because we have hit one and we feel the jolt through the car. But for David, the issue is not just about inconvenience or even the rising cost of repairs, for new tyres or suspension; it is also about lost income. If his car is damaged, he cannot work—he may even have to cancel bookings or leave passengers stranded—so someone’s livelihood is being put at risk by the failure to maintain our roads properly.”
