Devon's former head of roads releases a protest song calling for better Winter gritting
Councillor Stuart Hughes wants cycle lanes gritted across the county - not just in Exeter
Last updated 17th Sep 2025
Devon's former head of roads has released a protest song calling for cycle paths to be gritted in Winter - as well as sharing safety messages.
Earlier this year Conservative Councillor Stuart Hughes released a track calling for local potholes to be fixed and he says putting the calls to music helps draw attention to the issues.
He said: "There's some really key messages throughout the song as even treated roads can still freeze so drive with care.
"Of course the cycle ways are also being treated around the Exeter area and I was hoping that Devon County Council were going to roll it out to other parts."
We have contacted Devon County Council and will bring you its response as we get it
When he released his 'fillin' potholes' track, the East Devon District Councillor and Radio Presenter added: "This track is about more than potholes—it’s about pride, persistence, and the need for proper funding.
"Councils are patching Britain’s roads on shoestring budgets, and we hope this song helps drive the message home with reggae rhythm and a little rebel spirit.”
Labour has pledged to fund councils to repair up to a million potholes a year in England.
In response to the song by Councillor Hughes (Conservative) the Lib Dem head of roads for Devon County Council, Councillor Dan Thomas, said: “The situation at the moment in the county is very simple, if we do something new then something else has to give. It's a constant balancing act until we can get more money from central (Labour) Government. If I had more money we would do it all the time.
"We have some really tough choices to make over the Winter of what comes first and I think it's clear - for most people - that has to be safety defects in the carriageways."