Crude graffiti highlighting potholes has sparked a mix of laughter and frustration among residents, with many saying the stunt reflects growing anger over the state of local roads.
Police in Exmouth issued a light-hearted but firm warning after several potholes were spray-painted to resemble male anatomy, saying the tactic would not speed up repairs . However, it is the reaction from residents that reveals the depth of feeling about the condition of the town’s streets.
One resident said: “That’s been done really well hasn’t it, they’ve put a lot of effort into it.
“The state of the roads are awful, absolutely awful, and more willies are needed.”
Another added that while the artwork had drawn attention, the underlying issue was costing drivers money.
“The graffiti is very good, but it’s disgusting about the roads. I’ve already had new tyres put on my car two weeks ago, and the week after I hit a pothole which I couldn’t miss because of oncoming traffic and I had to have my tracking re-done again, so it’s costing me more money.”
A third resident described the potholes as “a disgrace” and claimed previous repairs had not lasted.
“The potholes are a disgrace, they’ve not been filled in properly, and until they put something towards dealing with it, we’re just going to have to put up with it.
“Somebody put a cone on the pothole the other day and it got flattened so, we’ve just got to keep asking.”
Others said the images, intended to draw attention to the issue, had divided opinion within the community.
“There are new highlights going on in Exmouth as I’m sure some of the locals have seen. We’ve got some bad potholes here and Salterton Road up to Tesco you’ve got to swerve and it’s probably dangerous where people nab the curb and such.
“The ways they’re being highlighted, they are meant to be humourous, but it’s not very nice for the community and young families, they shouldn’t be looking at that on our roads. I applaud them for trying to take some action but it would be nicer if they could find a more polite way of doing so.”
In a statement, Exmouth Police acknowledged that while many people were frustrated by potholes, turning them into offensive images did not result in quicker repairs and could instead lead to additional clean-up costs and potential criminal damage reports.
The force also confirmed that a pothole outside the Strand pub had been reported for clean-up.
