HEREFORDSHIRE’S roads are again being destroyed. Potholes are reappearing and we are not even into the worst of the winter weather.

I am convinced this is due to the growth in long-distance agricultural haulage by monster tractor-and-trailer units.

Material to and from a few very large intensive agri-businesses and anaerobic digesters is transported using agricultural tyres that pinch, undermine and scour-out the road surface as well as routinely drag mud and grit onto the road.

We even appear to have livestock being hauled to Merthyr Tydfil abattoir from Herefordshire on huge double-decker tractor-drawn units.

The extra costs and stress that this rod damage puts on hard-working folk trying to get to and from work, is appalling. We will all pay for the huge road repair bills through our taxes.

Cycling is impossibly dangerous on the B4348. We need a change in law that makes the chief road-damagers pay for the repairs, and that ensures all long-distance haulage is only done by vehicles using road tyres and adapted for road use. The technology is available to make this possible.

IAN McCULLOCH Parish councillor Peterchurch