BOREHAMWOOD drivers are demanding action this week to fix the state of potholes in roads in the area to prevent potential fatalities.

Damian Schogger, 33, has protested through a Facebook campaign, called Hertfordshire pothole hell, against the rising number of potholes being left unrepaired.

Mr Schogger, a communications manager, drives to work in Welwyn Garden City.

He said: “It is terrible for drivers as they have to drive through the potholes or swerve to avoid them, which could be very dangerous.

“I set up the Facebook page to raise the profile of the issue to create some positive change. I think main roads are the worst and on Furzehill Road there is a carpet of potholes.

“What I find frustrating is the council wants the public to get in touch to tell them about the problems. The council should be sending out council workers to check the roads otherwise what are they actually doing?”

Mick Churchill, owner of Crystal Moon, in Drayton Road, in Borehamwood, is an ex-mechanic and said he believes potholes in Furzehill Road, in Borehamwood, could result in a death.

He said: “The volume of traffic in the area has increased over the years and the council has not kept up with the maintenance.

“There could quite easily be a motorcycle fatality on Furzehill Road as the potholes are so deep. It is especially bad for motorcyclists because they could get their wheel stuck in the pothole and flip over.

“The damage to car tyres is enormous. Drivers can’t afford it in this financial climate and the insurance will not cover it. It is very inconvenient and an aggravation for people who drive to work every day to have their car off the road.”

Borehamwood resident Eddie Hammerman said: “The first problem is the potholes - or craters. You could bath a small child in some of potholes on Furzehill Road. I dread driving on roads in Borehamwood - it's a nightmare.

“But the bigger problem is that the roads are in desperate need of resurfacing. I've put in a Freedom of Information request for the frequency of resurfacing in Hertsmere and am waiting to get a response.

"Roads should be resurfaced every 20 to 30 years, but it doesn't look like this is happening. Blaming the weather is a poor excuse. Proper planning is needed and it just isn't happening.

“The council repeatedly spends budgets on ‘patch and mend' to a point where more holes are inevitable.”

County Councillor Alan Plancey (Conservative, Borehamwood North), said: “We’ve had a dreadful period of snow so that has contributed to the potholes.

“Potholes that are reported are repaired immediately. The main roads are being checked but it is very, very difficult to check all the smaller roads because that requires a lot of man power.

“Drivers will not go through the potholes but round them. People need to work with Hertfordshire Highways to help solve the pothole problems.”

Hertfordshire Highways confirmed road engineers are working to repair thousands of potholes since the adverse weather conditions.

The county council has more than 50 teams filling or patching holes, and a further three using Jetpatch machines on the worst roads.

Councillor Stuart Pile, cabinet member for roads, said: "Our crews are working hard to make repairs, but until there's a significant improvement in the weather, we're going to keep seeing potholes and cracks appear on our roads at a rapid rate.

"In one week alone we received 2,000 reports of potholes.

"It's no exaggeration to say Hertfordshire Highways is working around the clock."

Send us your pothole pictures by texting BOREHAMWOOD to 80360 or email bwnews@london.newsquest.co.uk