Council's neglect has resulted in the roads being in their poorest state for a decade.

Written by John Vincent from Reigate and published in Surrey Mirror - 20th May 2004 on Thu 20th May 2004

Is it life on Mars or Reigate? I've always had an interest in space exploration. In fact 20 years ago, when I lived in Bristol, my job was designing communication satellite equipment. Today, via the World Wide Web it's possible to keep an eye on the exploration of other planets. Two robot rovers are driving around on Mars taking pictures, studying rocks and avoiding obstacles. In my opinion pictures from their panoramic cameras are quite stunning. They do remind me of something close by. Here on Earth the potholes and large cracks in the road surfaces, in and around Reigate, are quite similar in appearance. Looking at some of the Mars picture you could conclude that there's a less hostile environment for cyclists and pedestrians on the red planet than here in this town. The Council's neglect has resulted in the roads being in their poorest state for a decade. When will they launch themselves into action? In another decade?