Villagers have demanded action to fix a road which they claim looks like a war zone after being blighted by 7ft long potholes.
Residents living near a stretch of the A1301 in Cambridgeshire have complained the carriageway has become riddled with huge craters, some of which are big enough for people to lie down in.
They have started a petition calling on Cambridgeshire County Council to resurface the road properly, rather than carry out fill-in repairs which quickly deteriorate.
Many residents say they have stopped cycling because of safety fears, while others are driving a six-mile diversion via Duxford to avoid this stretch of road.
Residents have also raised concerns that potholes dangerous enough to threaten cyclists often fail to meet the council’s threshold for emergency repair, leaving hazardous defects unaddressed for extended periods.
The petition, which has attracted 347 signatures in five days, calls for urgent resurfacing of the A1301 from Granham’s Road to the Hauxton Road junction.
One resident said: ‘This road and cycle lane are a busy commuter path and as a resident of this road I am continually observing cars and lorries swerving to avoid potholes.’
Another added: ‘The road looks like a road that you would see in a war zone and it is shocking that it has been in this state for so long.’
A stretch of the A1301 in Cambridgeshire has become blighted by huge potholes, leading residnets to compare it to a warzone
Miranda Fyfe, Green Party candidate for Shelford, shows how some of the potholes are now big enough for her to lie down in
The petition has been launched by Green Party members Miranda Fyfe and Lee Denison.
Miranda, Green Party candidate for Shelford, has been monitoring the worsening condition of the road for months.
‘One local pothole which I first noticed in late October when it was only dinner-plate size has now grown to be big enough for me to lie down in,’ she said.
‘That’s despite multiple online reports, plus I’d raised it with our Liberal Democrat councillors in November.’
The petition highlights the escalating safety risks for all road users, noting that drivers are experiencing repeated vehicle damage and cyclists are being forced into traffic due to the lack of a segregated cycle lane.
It acknowledges the planned resurfacing works between Granham’s Road and Station Road but argues that they do not adequately resolve the poor road conditions, as the full length of the affected road is not included.
‘Potholes that cyclists are unable to avoid can cause a fall with significant injury,’ the petition states.
‘How much longer must we put up with the ever-worsening and dangerous condition of this road?’ the petition asks.
The strech of the A1301 from Granham’s Road to the Hauxton Road junction, which has been blighted by potholes in recent months
Green Party candidate and Shelford resident Lee Denison emphasised the urgency of the situation, saying: ‘The current appalling state of Cambridge Road is a failure of the Lib Dem-controlled county council to address the needs of Shelford area residents, and they must now fund the repair of this road.’
A council spokesperson said: ‘Work to resurface a section of the A1301 is due to commence in April and finish in early May. Funding for this project was approved in March 2025.
‘Since then, we are aware that additional stretches of the road have deteriorated which are not covered by the approved budget and that this is causing concern. The road is regularly inspected, and we are continuing to repair potholes as they are identified.
‘The 26-27 highways maintenance investment programme will be considered by the council’s highways and transport committee in March 2026.
‘If more funding is allocated to extend the A1301 works, we will try to carry this out at the same time as the existing project, subject to securing any relevant approvals.’
The petition remains open until March 28.
