A POTHOLE in Kidlington which is forcing drivers to swerve into the middle of the road has still not been repaired despite weeks of complaints.

The defect in Bicester Road was reported to highways chiefs on April 5, but the only response so far has been a white line painted around the hole.

It comes after the Oxford Mail observed seven drivers crossing the middle white line to avoid the defect during a 20 minute period in the rush hour.

On April 9, an update on the council’s website told residents the pothole had been marked up and would be repaired within two weeks.

But Oxford Road resident David Myers, who regularly drives and cycles down the road, said the hole was still there and was getting bigger.

Retired BT engineer and grandfather Mr Myers, 62, said: “The problem with this particular pothole is that it’s near a pedestrian crossing, some flats and quite close to a primary school, and it’s getting bigger by the day.

“It’s an accident waiting to happen. You see cyclists swerving in the road to try to avoid it and sometimes vehicles pull into the middle of the road to get around it.

“I have written to the county council several times and sent them pictures of it, but nothing has been done. You have to pull right out into the middle of the road to avoid it.

“And there are lorries and cars going over it all the time which is breaking it up even more.

“I’d hate to think what would happen if a motorcyclist or cyclist was going down there on a dark night.”

Oxfordshire county councillor Maurice Billington said he had also reported the problem.

He said: “It’s been a long time and it isn’t good enough, I think something must have gone wrong here.

“I know which one it is, because I had someone contact me about it and I emailed it in.”

AA spokesman Luke Bosdet said: “If a pedestrian or cyclist injures themselves because of this pothole, the council is going to be liable for compensation.

“For the sake of a couple of hundred quid, surely it would be better for the council to repair it before anybody gets hurt?

“If drivers are going into the middle of the road to avoid it, clearly it poses a road safety threat and should be reported to the police.”

The Oxford Mail conducted a survey at the location on Thursday, May 16.

Between 8.35am and 8.55am, while children were being dropped off at nearby Edward Feild Primary School, 102 vehicles went past the pothole, with seven of them crossing the white line in the middle of the road to avoid it.

Council spokesman Martin Crabtree said: “We plan to have a crew out in the area this week and they will investigate and repair the hole as necessary.”