Drive to Oakley and have your car's suspension put to the test. Truth be known, anywhere in Basingstoke will prove that precious little has been allocated to making our roads bearable. But here in Hill Road and Rectory Road, Oakley, it must be likened to driving through a war zone where trying to avoid the bomb craters comes high in the motorist's eye.

The occasional hole filled or the worn edges rebuilt with a material purporting to be Tarmac - inventor John McAdam, to give him his rightful name, would have the inventor turn in his grave, short-term repairs not worth the effort.

But a recent trip to Brighton Hill proved it is possible to rebuild a seven-way roundabout, over a couple of years, in this case eventually taking on the appearance of an upmarket leisure park, sheer beauty! Ah! That's where the Hill Road and Rectory Road repair money went.

Graeme Hewitt

Oakley

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