A village is fearing disaster after suffering nearly six months of inaction over a two-foot deep pothole that exposes a potentially lethal gas pipe.
The pipe carries gas to the entire village of Great Brickhill and worried villagers say there is the danger of an explosion or fire if it is damaged by passing traffic.
There’s also the very real threat of a cyclist, rider or even motorist being injured if they go down the expanding crater.
Hundreds of homes have lived with the concern, through one of the coldest winters on record, that they would be without heat.
Now, after intervention by the LBO, the situation is about to get a “hole” lot better.
Transport For Bucks, the highways arm of Bucks County Council, has promised that the trench will be filled in during the week starting April 22.
Subsidence caused part of Little Brickhill Lane to collapse at the end of last year and since then a hole has got larger and deeper as more of the road slipped away.
The worried parish council has become increasingly angry and frustrated after repeated calls to Transport for Bucks fell on deaf ears. All that has been done is a few road cones have marked the area.
The LBO’s village correspondent Mark Stasiuk said: “This road is very busy especially at school run times.
“What is most horrific is that as the verge has eroded, the gas main which supplies Great Brickhill, has been exposed.
“It only wants one driver in a hurry on the way to school, to lose concentration if the kids are playing up, and the consequences do not bear thinking about.
“I feel that those responsible should face up to their total lack and disregard of the safety of our community.”
A BCC spokesman said: “The hole is currently scheduled to be filled during the week commencing 22nd April. The site will continue to be monitored to make sure it remains safe.”
