Collapse paves way for new road deal; TRANSPORT: Council's interest in 'Brum's worst road' as owner goes bust.

Byline: Neil Elkes

A ROAD dubbed 'the worst in Brum' could be taken under council control and repaired after its private owner went bust.

Booths Lane, a popular rat run road in Great Barr, has been a littered with pot holes for years with only limited repairs and maintenance carried out by owner The Host Corporation.

But this week the company, which owns A 40 acre plot of land which includes the Lane, went into administration after failing to get a major housing development and business complex off the ground.

The road is pitted with gaping holes, some several feet wide, and a narrow chicane at its lowest point is regularly flooded creating hazards for the hundreds of motorists, cyclists and pedestrians who use it each day to cut between the Queslett Road dual carriageway and Perry Beeches area.

Host Corporation owner Richard Nicol had pledged to re-route and repair the road once the housing estate was built and hand it to the council, but almost a decade later not a brick has been laid.

Local councillor Keith Linnecor, who has campaigned for the road to be adopted, said: "The owner has promised to develop the site and fix the road for many years but has done very little. Usually just filling in the larger holes pretty poorly so they soon appear again.

"With administrators taking over I am sure a deal can be done.

"There have been many promises that this problem would be solved and to date nothing has been done. There have been many cars and bikes bumped, tyres and suspensions damaged. It amazes me that there's not been a more serious accident - especially when it's flooded or icy."

A council transport department spokeswoman confirmed they are following the situation.

She said: "We will contact the administrator, register our interest in making a claim."

The administrator KPMG said they had received interest in the site, which includes a golf driving range and nine hole course, from a number of investors.

CAPTION(S):

Hole lot of woe: Councillor Mike Leddy with the potholes in Booths Lane.