FillThatHole - Dying ? Come on CTC

[Psamathe]

Is FillThatHole a CTC facility that is being left to quietly die ?

I ask only because at the start of this year CTC was granted quite a bit if money to get an Android version going and so far ... nothing.

I ask only because the existing iPhone never seems to be maintained. When iOS 7 came out it stopped working and had to be "fixed" (although it failed to be updated to actually use the hardware properly, just emergency fixes to stop crashing). Now iOS8 is out it just don't work in that there are bugs that make every attempt to submit a report crash the app, plus other bugs making it all but unusable. I've e-mailed CTC and ... no response what so ever. And at the start of the year there were plans to update the iPhone app (using some grant money) and ... nothing.

As a software developer I even offered to develop an iOS app (free, public domain the source/release it/maintain it/whatever), but I'd need the API and access to test server. But CTC were going to sort out the app and ... nothing.

So, given things like iOS8 are released to developers in plenty of time for apps to be tested, updated if necessary, etc., why the CTC waits around, does nothing and then looks stupid and incapable. Professional organisation taking our money or ... not.

And in Dec 2013, CTC said "Users of the site and app can expect to see a series of updates over the first half of 2014." and what happened ... nothing (http://www.ctc.org.uk/news/government-backs-ctcs-pothole-reporting-website).

Ian

[gaz]

From a personal viewpoint I have left fillthathole to one side.

However my decision was made because my local authority finally brought their own on-line reporting system into the 21st Century, with mapping and the ability to upload photos, not because of any failing of fillthathole.

[Psamathe]

From a personal viewpoint I have left fillthathole to one side.

However my decision was made because my local authority finally brought their own on-line reporting system into the 21st Century, with mapping and the ability to upload photos, not because of any failing of fillthathole.

When you say "the other side" is that a local council offering or e.g. Fix My Street (which is OK except I don't like certain features of the app (not practical for use when out cycling - just that the developer has designed the UI from a computer perspective rather than a user perspective).

My "local council" problem is that my rides variously cover 3 different authorities and appart from the fact that I'm unsure of the exact boundaries, none of them provide a app for reporting.

But, given the FixMyStreet "status" (being polite here), I think many will be increasingly interested in something that works - the roads are getting worse and reporting is an important way to get something done about it.

Ian

[gaz]

My regular rides cover two Local Authorities, MoD and Highways Agency. Fortunately I know where the boundaries are.

One LA already had an on-line reporting system with mapping. I always used that in preference to fth. They've since added a photo upload.

The other LA had an antiquated system that allowed you to advise the road name and type in a description. No mapping to guide you, no reference to allow tracking or follow up and worst of all it wouldn't locate my own address as I live outside that LA. Fth was much simpler.

That LA changed it's online reporting. It now has mapping, references and photo upload; ending my own need for fth.

That doesn't change your points at all. CTC trumpted receiving the funding for an updated all-singing all-dancing fth and they've yet to deliver the goods.

[Lance Dopestrong]

I've given up reporting them round here. The standard reply, to some quite shocking holes or damage, is "already scheduled for future repair." The fact that someone could be hurt in the mean time just doesn't seem to register with Northamptonshire County Council Highways department.

[yakdiver]

I just email my County Council and it gets done in 7-14 days as they say so far so good

[Psamathe]

Reason I like apps is that it is so quick; and as a result I tend to report more (I've reported over 200 in the last year). With an app you just press a couple of buttons ("locate" and take a pic) and that's done until you get home. So it hardly disrupts the ride. Noting the street name, location, etc. then writing an e-mail all gets quite a delay/interruption to the ride. And that is where the Fix My Street app is not so good (but at least it works which puts it a long long way ahead of the CTC FillThatHole).

I used to just take a photo and then when I got home, use the geolocation tag to find the position and log everything into Fix My Street. But that gets quite time consuming as well (given the state of the roads).

Council tends to repair reported hazards eventually. But also, I feel that at least if they are reported the onus switches to the authority to repair them and if anybody is injured or suffers vehicle damage, then the Council are he ones who have to take responsibility once they have been told and had reasonable opportunity to repair things.

Hence I really feel systems like FillThatHole are very important both in helping the Council save money (repairing a hole early is cheaper and easier than waiting until it grows enormous) and saves them the need to inspect quite as often (as when they attend to repair they in effect inspect the road at the same time). So helps everybody.

Ian

[gaz]

One of the LAs I deal with has an app supporting it's on-line reporting site, the other does not. Of no consequence to me as I don't have any device compatible with apps .

[Psamathe]

And the FillThatHole web site announces "Thanks to additional funding secured from the Department for Transport, an update to the iPhone app is in progress and will be issued in early 2014." And the latest release dates back to 2011. It does all raise questions about the CTC's abilities to manage such software projects.

Ian

[Pete Owens]

I've given up reporting them round here. The standard reply, to some quite shocking holes or damage, is "already scheduled for future repair." The fact that someone could be hurt in the mean time just doesn't seem to register with Northamptonshire County Council Highways department.

What is unreasonable about that - so long as it is genuinely scheduled for repair within a reasonable timescale. You don't expect an emergency response tarmac team to set of with blue lights and sirenens the minute you report a pothole. Of course if it isn't genuinely scheduled for repair then that is all the more reason to report it to fillthathole.

If someone gets hurt on an unreported hole and makes a claim from the council then they will get the standard brush off reply that the council regularly inspects its roads and the fault wasn't there last time they looked. That again is entirely reasonable - again you cannot expect them to inspect the entire road network every afternoon incase a pothole shows up in the morning.

If on the other hand someone gets hurt - and the look up the fault on fillthathole - and see that it was reported to the council several months ago then there is clear evidence of negligence. The council cannot simply claim they were unaware of the pothole.

[Bicycler]

Pete mentions the point I was going to make. A publicly available list of faults which have been reported to councils is invaluable if they later claim that they had no knowledge of it.

[Psamathe]

Pete mentions the point I was going to make. A publically available list of faults which have been reported to councils is invaluable if they later claim that they had no knowledge of it.

I agree. At the moment as I ride past each pothole I feel guilty! Ok, I avoided it and now know where it is. But, e.g. a local roundabout has some horrible nasty "tram lines" running round "between both lanes"; and every time I pass it I remember the thread recently where a similar hazard resulted in a nasty injury! But there are so many I can't remember them till I get home. Hence FillThatHole being invaluable, and its loss really quite significant.

Ian

[MikeF]

4 LA's within a "stones" throw here - well almost. I usually know where the boundaries are, but if not an OS map can help, but it's not always up-to-date. Road surfaces often change on the boundary assuming you know roughly where it is. Another clue can be public right of way markers at the sides of roads as different authorities often have different types.
I've never used an online app for reporting.

[squeaker]

FTH's USP for me is the archive history of previous problems on the same patch of road. Do LA's offer open access to such archives?
As for Apps, I use a Windows 'phone so no hope there

[grani]

FTH's USP for me is the archive history of previous problems on the same patch of road. Do LA's offer open access to such archives?
As for Apps, I use a Windows 'phone so no hope there

Same here - I have tried to use the FTH website on my phone but it is impossible to place the pin on the map. So either make apps or make the website touch compatible...or you know...both!