Frustrated Sheffield councillors vow to 'hold Amey to account' over potholes
“I'm frustrated by the number of potholes on our roads and the poor standard of repairs”
A Sheffield councillor has said a five-month wait for pothole repairs is “unacceptable” and vowed to “hold Amey to account.”
Coun Elle Dodd, of Manor Castle ward, said the defects on Manor Way are “deep and wide and cars regularly have to swerve dangerously to avoid them.”
She said she reported the issue in April and has now been told by Amey they are lower-priority and won’t be repaired until September.
She wrote on Facebook: “Amey told me this week that they ‘assessed and categorised as a lower-priority repair when compared with more immediate safety hazards across the network’ so they won’t do them till September!
“That is unacceptable. Council oversight of Amey used to be run by the Lib Dem’s but since the election Labour have taken control of that committee.
“I will work with Mark Rusling for Shiregreen and Brightside to hold Amey to account and make our roads safe again.”
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Meanwhile, Nether Edge councillor Ibby Ullah said he had reported a long-standing pothole on Boston Street, just off London Road.
He wrote: “Like many residents, I'm frustrated by the number of potholes on our roads and the poor standard of repairs. Too many streets in Nether Edge and Sharrow have been left in poor condition for too long.”
He also said he would be working closely with Coun Mark Rusling, “who is determined to hold Amey to account.”
Last week The Star revealed Sheffield City Council had fined Amey just eight times this year for failing to tackle ‘category one defects’, deemed an ‘immediate hazard’, within 24 hours.
But it did not reveal how much.
In a Freedom of Information response, the city council said Amey repaired 8,929 potholes in the first four months of 2026.
But as of May 8, it still had 4,088 to fix.
The authority insisted it “rigorously challenges” the company on perceived failures and areas for improvement.
Before the local elections in May, political parties were calling for an overhaul of the council’s £2.2bn PFI contract with Amey, set to last until 2037.
A spokesperson for Amey said they prioritise fixing potholes based on safety risk and impact on road users.
They added: “Defects that pose the greatest danger, such as deep or hazardous potholes, are inspected and repaired first, often within set response times.
“The council carries out regular inspections across the road network and also responds to reports from the public.
“Less urgent repairs are scheduled as part of planned maintenance programmes to ensure resources are used effectively and roads are improved in a longer-term, sustainable way.”