TAMWORTH Regional Council (TRC) has been forced to temporarily shut sections of Burgess Lane and Burgmanns Lane at Kingswood, after their 'rapid deterioration' made them no longer safe for use.
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The roads will be shut for one to two weeks as temporary repairs are made, which are well overdue according to residents and users of the roads.
Large potholes and a troublesome causeway that is barely passable with smaller vehicles have been problematic for some time, and recent weather events have made the situation worse, council stated.
"Tamworth Regional Council is aware of the current compromised state of Burgess Lane and Burgmanns Lane following several recent rain events which have caused major damage to the causeway," a spokesperson said.
"Consistent with the road maintenance program across the region, Burgess Lane and Burgmanns Lane is inspected and maintained regularly, however recent rainfall has resulted in rapid deterioration of the road.
Frequents user of the road, Peter Leicht from Leicht's Tyres and Auto, said it's become so bad he even got stuck on Burgess Lane last week en-route to a job.
"The road is that bad, and I've made several complaints to council trying to get through to the engineers," he said.
"You can't drive it, the road undrivable because the potholes were that bad."
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He said driving during the night on either Burgmanns Lane or Burgess Lane is particularly dangerous, as it's even harder to see the potholes.
His sentiment is shared by local man Bryson Shepherdson, who used to live in the area and used the road every day.
"It was frustrating when I lived in the area, the damage has made it impassible in most vehicles," he said.
"I feel sympathy for those who live there and now have to use an alternative route."
Council told the Leader it is looking at a more permanent solution for the causeway, but has no immediate plans to seal the road.
"Council will be applying for grant funding to enable the construction of a bridge at the causeway to prevent the road being cut during periods of heavy rain in future," a spokesperson said.
"Council does not currently have plans to seal Burgess Lane or Burgmanns Lane, however these roads will continue to be regularly maintained."
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