TRAFFORD is one of the worst affected places in Greater Manchester for potholes, according to new figures.

5,600 potholes litter the roads around the city region, leading to safety concerns for cyclists and road users, according to research carried out by law firm JMW Solicitors.

And while Trafford Council say they have filled more than 1,100 potholes since March 2018, the borough is said to have the second largest number of road defects, behind the city centre.

Data provided by fixmystreet.com revealed there were 5,673 reported open pothole cases in the region.

The top three worst affected boroughs were the city centre (1,771), Trafford (683) and Bury (681).

The number of reported open pothole cases in Greater Manchester increased by 6%, from 5,341 in May 2018 to 5,673 in January 2019.

Paul Breen, head of catastrophic injury at the JMW personal injury team, said: “Potholes can cause serious, life-altering injuries to road users, in particular cyclists and motorcyclists. It is vital that these road defects are repaired to allow these road users a smooth commute.

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"Unlike motorists, cyclists and motorcyclists coming across a pothole cannot simply go through it as this will most likely force the rider off their bike. However, they cannot always just swerve around them in case they find themselves in the path of traffic.

“With cycling becoming an increasingly preferred mode of transport across Greater Manchester, it’s likely we will see the number of cycling injuries rise as well. Something that won’t be made any easier if the number of potholes continues to grow."

A spokesperson for the One Trafford Partnership said: “We are committed to ensuring our highways are in the best condition. The current 2018/19 highways capital programme has seen £7.7 million of investment by Trafford Council for the borough’s roads.

"We have already completed large scale resurfacing schemes such as Dunham Road (A56), Lostock Circle and Lostock Road, Chester Road (A56), Barton Dock Road and Marsland Road. An additional £1 million of funding was awarded by Department for Transport last year for the repair of potholes.

"A patching programme is currently underway to target road defects that have been highlighted by residents and our highways inspectors. A further £5.8 million has been allocated for the 2019/20 highways capital programme.”