A retired businesswoman from Burrington, Devon, has spent more than £2,000 repairing her Mercedes after repeated damage from potholes on the road outside her home. Judith Lee, 63, said the potholes have caused 12 punctures and three cracked wheels on her Mercedes E350 in just a few months.
Miss Lee, a former business consultant, said each punctured tyre costs £100 to repair, and the cracked wheels set her back £1,500. She also drives a Volvo estate, which is currently being repaired due to similar pothole damage. She described the road as 'dreadful' and said friends refuse to visit because they fear for their cars.
Miss Lee expressed concern for elderly neighbours who may need emergency medical attention, noting that emergency services and delivery drivers struggle to access the lane. She has complained to Devon County Council repeatedly without success. 'You have to creep down the lane and even then you hit potholes,' she said.
Fellow resident Mike Harris, who has lived on the road since 2014, said the surface has deteriorated significantly. He described driving at no more than five or six miles per hour to avoid damage, and warned that low-level cars risk scraping their undercarriage. He added that any health emergency would be difficult to respond to quickly.
A Devon County Council spokesman said the road has been added to a list for future patching, but no date has been scheduled due to high workload. The council will continue regular safety inspections. Miss Lee said she has had to park at the end of the lane and walk home, recently injuring her ankle by stepping into a pothole in the dark.
