GOING into Wheatley past the Plough pub, several potholes have very recently been filled, however, the new surface is already breaking up.

I used to work with a road-mending gang in Surrey.

Our way of mending was using hot asphalt.

Each hole was jackhammered to give a straight edge where the new met the old. The join where the old and new ashpalt met was then sealed with hot tar.

I think I am right in saying this sealing is no longer done by the council.

Our work was done in this way so it would last for years not weeks.

We also lifted drain covers which had become much lower than the road. This happens after a road has been resurfaced several times.

A drain cover which becomes very low is as bad to drive over as a pothole.

When the ones who estimate the cost of the pothole-filling do so, do they estimate high to cover very expensive repeats?

BOB WISE, Fuller Road, Great Milton