An inspiring story of community spirit unfolded in Cornwall, England, as frustration grew over a giant pothole on Tanhouse Road and Bodmin Hill in Lostwithiel. After a whole month of inaction from the authorities, an anonymous individual took matters into their own hands and single-handedly filled the pothole during the first weekend of May. This act of bravery temporarily solved the problem, bringing relief to the frustrated locals.
However, the joy was short-lived. The Cornwall Council’s road repair company, Cormac, closed the road once again because their team hadn’t officially carried out the repair. Now, the hunt is on to find the person behind this noble act. Cornwall Highways is determined to identify the anonymous individual who not only fixed the pothole but also removed the signs without permission.
The road was originally scheduled to be closed until June 9th, as Cornwall Highways was catching up with a backlog of pothole repairs. Colin Martin, the Cornwall councilor for Lanreath and Lostwithiel, expressed his deep frustration with the situation. He drew attention to the overall underinvestment in the public sector, emphasizing that this issue reflects the crumbling state of the entire public sector due to a lack of funds.
Unfortunately, the road has once again been closed and will remain closed until Cormac properly repairs it. The budget cuts for road resurfacing and proactive maintenance have resulted in diversion of all available teams to address smaller potholes on other open roads. As a consequence, the repairs could take weeks to complete, and potholes continue to appear at a faster rate than Cormac can fix them. This situation highlights the short-sighted decision made by the Conservatives running Cornwall Council.
This incident in Cornwall is not an isolated event. In 2017, a resident of Toronto took it upon themselves to address an issue in their community by constructing a set of park stairs for a community garden, at a fraction of the city’s estimated cost. These acts of community spirit demonstrate the power of individuals in making a positive impact.
Stay tuned to find out more about what happens next in this intriguing story.
