A new online system for reporting Highways problems, meant to be an “improvement”, has come in for sharp criticism from Hertfordshire’s Liberal Democrats with a difficult to use mapping process. The new system, rolled out recently by Conservative-run Herts County Council also requires you to register if you want to track something as simple as a pothole report.

The register check when signing up to use the system is compulsory with no evident benefits. Allan Witherick, the Lib Dem Councillor for St Albans North which includes Marshalswick South, said: “If you don’t have a landline or you’ve ‘opted out’ of the electoral register, you can’t even register to use this system.  This will exclude a whole range of different people: those who have just moved in to the area, many of those under 18, as well as those coming to work in Hertfordshire. How this is meant to be an improvement, I just don’t know!”

Locally the Liberal Democrats have pushed www.fixmystreet.com which even has smartphone applications to allow reporting both to the District and the County councils for everything from flytipping to street signs.