Latest news with #MGroup
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Company with £51m contract criticised for ‘ridiculous' pothole repairs
A private contractor with a £51m deal to fix potholes has been accused of delivering substandard work, with one patch job described as 'ridiculous' by council officers. Cambridgeshire County Council admitted M Group – which has a contract to fix about 50,000 potholes a year – had not delivered 'service levels expected or required'. The contract with the Stevenage-based company equates to about £1,000 for every pothole. Council documents obtained by the BBC showed council officers were becoming increasingly concerned about the quality of the repairs being done on their potholes. In one picture, released under Freedom of Information laws, a pothole repair job consisted of six small squares instead of one larger patch. It was described by council officers as 'ridiculous'. In May another job done on Priory Road in St Neots town centre was deemed 'not very good at all' by council officers. 'Areas marked up by [council] officers have not been carried out, dimensions smaller than marked out, clearly shows where pothole needed repair as breaking up wasn't carried out,' the documents said. They said the 'potholes have only been completed 14 days and already fail', concluding that it was 'very poor workmanship in my opinion'. M Group is not a small-time operator. It is the UK's largest highways maintenance contractor for local roads, managing over 50,000 km of roads and over 350,000 streetlights. The private company has 11,000 staff. Cambridgeshire local Janette Page said she and fellow residents were angry about the state of local roads and the dodgy repair jobs. 'Why can't they do a complete overhaul of the whole road I don't know – all comes down to money I'm assuming,' she told the BBC. Another resident Andrew Curkovic said workers were often back soon after their repair jobs to fix the potholes again. 'I'm just concerned [that] the work they're doing is pointless. Realistically perhaps at this point resurfacing the road might be more valuable than the work that they're currently doing.' 'We have been challenging our contractors hard' Alex Beckett, chairman of Cambridgeshire County Council's highways committee, said they were 'always pushing for better quality' work from their contractors. 'We have been challenging our contractors hard. I have been pleased with the way they've responded to that, we have seen the quality is improving,' he told the BBC. 'We do somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 pothole repairs every year. Not all of those will be perfect. 'What's really important is when those pothole repairs do not meet our standards we do not pay for it or we get them redone.' M Group's contract is up for renewal in 2027, with the council saying it was 'looking at all options'. Matthew Riches, operations director at M Group Highways, said they were 'committed to continuous improvement', saying the company 'consistently exceeded 98 per cent' in reaching contractual key performance indicators. 'We work collaboratively with Cambridgeshire County Council to deliver more than 50,000 pothole repairs annually, within required standards and the contractual terms determined by our client,' he told the BBC. 'We are mindful of the funding constraints and wider highways maintenance challenges under which our client operates'. M Group is owned by private equity group, CVC Capital Partners, which bought the firm last year.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
'Ridiculous' pothole repairs criticised by council
Some pothole repairs by a major highways contractor have been called "ridiculous", "unbelievable" and are failing within weeks, according to a local authority. Cambridgeshire County Council said its £51m-a-year contract with M Group had not delivered the "service levels expected or required". In documents seen by the BBC, when reviewing individual repairs council officials have seen "very poor workmanship", and in one case claimed the "photo say[s] it all". M Group said it was working "collaboratively" with the council to deliver more than 50,000 pothole repairs annually "within required standards". In March, council highways committee papers stated "response times and quality of work is a continued concern" when referring to their M Group contract, which is for a range of services including pothole repairs. One of the fixes criticised in council audits - obtained through a Freedom of Information request - was on Meadow Way in Wimblington. A group of six or so small pothole repairs was labelled "ridiculous" and the papers said they should all be made into one patch, rather than a series of smaller square patches that overlap. Janette Page said she and fellow residents were unhappy about the state of the local roads, adding: "Why they can't do a complete overhaul of the whole road I don't know; all comes down to money I'm assuming." In May, repair work was carried on Priory Road in St Neots town centre. Two weeks later, the council went out and said it was: "Not very good at all, areas marked up by [council] officers have not been carried out, dimensions smaller than marked out, clearly shows where pothole needed repair as breaking up but wasn't carried out." They said the "potholes have only been completed 14 days and already fail", concluding that it was "very poor workmanship in my opinion". Andrea Curkovic, who lives opposite the Priory Road potholes, said workers "keep coming back and doing repair work and it never seems to last long". "I'm just concerned the work that they're doing is pointless. Realistically perhaps at this point resurfacing the road might be more valuable than the work that they're currently doing." Later that month, a council official said the potholes repairs outside Quy Mill Hotel spa in Stow-cum-Quy "in my opinion are very poorly laid/marked out". Alex Beckett, chairman of the council's highways committee, said: "We are always pushing for better quality. "We have been challenging our contractors hard. I have been pleased with the way they've responded to that; we have seen the quality is improving. "We do somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 pothole repairs every year. Not all of those will be perfect. "What's really important is when those pothole repairs do not meet our standards we do not pay for it or we get them redone." The contract is up for renewal in 2027, and Beckett said the council was "looking at all options". Matthew Riches, operations director at M Group Highways, said they were "committed to continuous improvement". "We work collaboratively with Cambridgeshire County Council to deliver more than 50,000 pothole repairs annually, within required standards and the contractual terms determined by our client," he said. "We are mindful of the funding constraints and wider highways maintenance challenges under which our client operates." He said they had "consistently exceeded 98%" in reaching contractual key performance indicators. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. More stories of interest Pothole reported 230 times could get permanent fix Solicitor sentenced over fraudulent pothole claims Potholes given a fresh look after diary blunder Pothole fixing progress by councils to be ranked Driver faces huge bill after pothole damages car Related internet links Cambridgeshire County Council M Group: Highways
BBC News
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Contractor's pothole repairs criticised by Cambridgeshire council
Some pothole repairs by a major highways contractor have been called "ridiculous", "unbelievable" and are failing within weeks, according to a local County Council said its £51m-a-year contract with M Group had not delivered the "service levels expected or required".In documents seen by the BBC, when reviewing individual repairs council officials have seen "very poor workmanship", and in one case claimed the "photo say[s] it all".M Group said it was working "collaboratively" with the council to deliver more than 50,000 pothole repairs annually "within required standards". In March, council highways committee papers stated "response times and quality of work is a continued concern" when referring to their M Group contract, which is for a range of services including pothole of the fixes criticised in council audits - obtained through a Freedom of Information request - was on Meadow Way in Wimblington. A group of six or so small pothole repairs was labelled "ridiculous" and the papers said they should all be made into one patch, rather than a series of smaller square patches that Page said she and fellow residents were unhappy about the state of the local roads, adding: "Why they can't do a complete overhaul of the whole road I don't know; all comes down to money I'm assuming." In May, repair work was carried on Priory Road in St Neots town weeks later, the council went out and said it was: "Not very good at all, areas marked up by [council] officers have not been carried out, dimensions smaller than marked out, clearly shows where pothole needed repair as breaking up but wasn't carried out."They said the "potholes have only been completed 14 days and already fail", concluding that it was "very poor workmanship in my opinion". Andrea Curkovic, who lives opposite the Priory Road potholes, said workers "keep coming back and doing repair work and it never seems to last long". "I'm just concerned the work that they're doing is pointless. Realistically perhaps at this point resurfacing the road might be more valuable than the work that they're currently doing."Later that month, a council official said the potholes repairs outside Quy Mill Hotel spa in Stow-cum-Quy "in my opinion are very poorly laid/marked out". Alex Beckett, chairman of the council's highways committee, said: "We are always pushing for better quality."We have been challenging our contractors hard. I have been pleased with the way they've responded to that; we have seen the quality is improving."We do somewhere between 40,000 and 60,000 pothole repairs every year. Not all of those will be perfect."What's really important is when those pothole repairs do not meet our standards we do not pay for it or we get them redone."The contract is up for renewal in 2027, and Beckett said the council was "looking at all options".Matthew Riches, operations director at M Group Highways, said they were "committed to continuous improvement"."We work collaboratively with Cambridgeshire County Council to deliver more than 50,000 pothole repairs annually, within required standards and the contractual terms determined by our client," he said."We are mindful of the funding constraints and wider highways maintenance challenges under which our client operates."He said they had "consistently exceeded 98%" in reaching contractual key performance indicators. Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
No construction timeline set for Cygnet bridge in Peterborough
The construction timeline of an £8.3m bridge in a city has yet to be secured as final designs await approval by council Bridge, which will link Fletton Quays to the Embankment in Peterborough, was approved by Peterborough City Council on 23 December. The project was initially expected to cost £6.3m, but will cost £2m more due to changes to the design and necessary sewage diversions. Nick Thulbourn, a Labour councillor at the authority and cabinet member for growth and regeneration, said: "Our officers are meeting with representatives from M Group to discuss Cygnet Bridge. "As part of this they will be signing off the construction design, to allow for a detailed update on the build timeline."Thulbourn confirmed that the next stage of the project would see sewer diversion works take place, with the aim to start construction in living in the city raised concerns over the cost and need for the bridge earlier this year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said. Peterborough City Council hopes the new bridge will assist in creating a "walkable, liveable city" and reduce pressure on city centre traffic project is being funded in part by contributions from both the city council and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA).An extra £2m provided by the CPCA was deemed necessary for the project due to complex design modifications and higher costs for required sewer diversions than initially government's Towns Fund pledged £2m towards the bridge, while the CPCA will now contribute £5.4m and the remainder will be paid for by Peterborough City Council's redevelopment budget. Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
24-07-2025
- BBC News
Woodstock Road improvements costing £3.2m are complete
Road improvements costing millions of pounds have been completed in Road has had a number of enhancements geared towards creating better conditions for members of the public to walk, cycle and £3.2m project was funded through an Oxfordshire County Council scheme using government highway improvements include new side road crossings, wider pavements, ramp improvements and extended cycle paths. Councillor Judy Roberts, from Oxfordshire County Council, said: "I am delighted to see the beautifully designed improvements on Woodstock Road completed. "Not only is it a visual improvement, crucially it's safer for pedestrians and cyclists. This much better accessibility is part of our plan to give people genuine options to use sustainable ways of travelling on one of the major roads in the city. And to top it off, it is all looking lovely."The scheme was designed by council highways maintenance contractor M Group and other improvements include a new parallel crossing south of Bevington Road and a new full-time bus stop clearway. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
