Villagers in Britain's longest running pothole row dating back to 1960 have been told to pay nearly £100k if they want them repaired.<br /><br />Furious locals in Furneux Pelham, Herts, have been locked in a bitter dispute with the council for decades about fixing a lane that links the main road through the village to a cul-de-sac.<br /><br />Hertfordshire County Council said that Whitebarns Lane has always been a public footpath and not a road - meaning it cannot be repaired at public expense.<br /><br />But with 32 potholes now littered the road, the latest quote from the council in 2016 was £73k to sort the issue - with inflation meaning this would now cost homeowners nearly £100k.<br /><br />Campaigners say fighting to get the road surface repaired has been a source of anger for decades - with local newspaper reports on the issue dating back to 1960 and 1980. <br /><br />A Hertfordshire County Council spokesperson said: “It would potentially be possible to adopt Whitebarns Lane as a public road, but only if the landowner, or the residents living along the lane, were able to bring it up to an acceptable standard.<br /><br />"We have offered to contribute towards the cost of the necessary works.<br /><br />“In the meantime, we will continue to maintain Whitebarns Lane as a public footpath.”
