“Many” roads in York are “dangerous for cyclists”, according to a man who was left needing surgery after a crash caused by a pothole.
Kevin Farrell has not cycled on Wigginton Road since 2018 after he crashed on the road and was left face down, briefly losing consciousness.
City of York Council’s transport boss said the authority is “committed” to keeping all road users “as safe as possible” and tries to “identify and repair problems as quickly as possible”.
Mr Farrell needed surgery to repair a torn nose and lip and had to have a CT scan after the crash on a summer’s evening in 2018.
The leader’s front tyre exploded “but luckily he escaped without major injury”, Mr Farrell said.
But “the rest of us were not so lucky”, he added.
Mr Farrell, who was riding at the back of the group, flew through the air, hit the ground face down and briefly lost consciousness.
Bleeding kidneys, fractured bones and cuts and bruises were sustained by other riders in the group.
For days Mr Farrell, an electrical contractor, could only sip liquids and soup through a straw and needed weeks off work.
More than six years on, his nose is still misshapen and he has scar tissue.
“My helmet undoubtedly saved my life, and my cycling glasses protected my eyes from serious damage. It could have been a child," said the 59-year-old grandfather-of-one.
Mr Farrell said he still cycles in York but looks for “good quality roads”.
“Many of our roads are dangerous for cyclists,” he added.
“It’s not only the heavy traffic, but also drivers not being aware of potholes, which are getting worse and more prolific. They are also often hidden by puddles.”
'We try to identify and repair problems as quickly as possible,' says council boss
Mr Farrell’s story was shared by Round Our Way, a not-for-profit organisation that shares stories about the impact of climate change, to mark National Pothole Day on Wednesday (January 15).
According to Freedom of Information requests made by the group, 88,860 potholes were reported to local authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber in 2023 and 93,520 the following year.
The total number of pothole reports from 2020 to 2024 to local authorities in Yorkshire and the Humber was 382,546.
James Gilchrist, City of York Council’s director of environment, transport and planning, told The Press: “While we are unable to comment on individual cases, we know that potholes can present hazards for anyone, no matter how they are travelling.
“We are committed to keeping all road users as safe as possible, using the budget we have available, which also includes allocations for off-road routes.
"We try to identify and repair problems as quickly as possible, to keep the highway network safe and available for use.”
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He added that the council carries out “regular safety inspections throughout the year and surveys of all roads and footways for which we are responsible”.
“These inspections are programmed at differing frequencies depending on the nature of the highway. Where the defects meet the criteria, reactive repairs are undertaken.
“The timescale for repair is based on the severity of the defect.”
The council also carries out “proactive maintenance work”, Mr Gilchrist said, “and these schemes are identified after an annual condition survey of the whole network, which establishes the structural condition of the roads.”
“This prioritised programme of capital works proactively renews and repairs our highways to ensure they are in good condition for all users.”
He urged anyone in York with concerns over the condition of roads, footways and other highways assets to report them on the council’s website.
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