It is the anniversary of the last time I wrote about potholes. Time passes. Potholes do not.

Once again we reach that point in the year when everyone is steering more carefully, scanning the road ahead. February seems to be peak pothole season, if the press coverage is anything to go by. Some people have begun putting plants in potholes. Ruth told me today potholes are a ‘National Scandal’.

Through autumn and early winter, water seeps into small cracks in the surface. When temperatures drop, that water freezes and expands. Traffic weakens the area. A small crack becomes a larger one. Over time — maybe several years — the surface gives way and opens up.

The High Street is currently one of the most broken-looking stretches of road. It drains poorly and carries heavy traffic, which is not a good combination.

But it is not alone. Caldecott Road is well potted. Two cones mark two of the holes. Others are outlined in white rectangles. A few remain unmarked, waiting to surprise the unwary.

Yesterday’s post celebrated the reopening of West St Helen Street. Today, another key route, Radley Road, was unexpectedly closed for several hours.

An emergency crew from Oxfordshire County Council shut Radley Road between St Peters Road and Kennet Road. What had appeared the previous day to be a large pothole near the centre of the road was dug out amid worries it was caused by a sinkhole.

By around 15:40 these photographs show the hole already filled.

Fortunately, it is half term, which spared Radley Road the traffic chaos that would have accompanied the school runs. There are three schools along the Radley Road. During the closure, the 35 bus was diverted via Audlett Drive.

In West St Helen Street, and nearby roads, a crew with a line-painting lorry have been redrawing and replacing the road markings. The marking paint is melted in a tank and extruded onto the road surface before cooling and hardening.

Old lines are removed by heating them to soften the material, then it is scraped away.

The double yellow lines near the Co-op are being replaced with a parking bay. Opposite, the parking outside the Salvation Army has been replaced by double yellow lines. These parking changes were agreed on 22 January by Oxfordshire County Council following an earlier consultation.

‘Residents Parking’ lettering and bay markings were redrawn elsewhere and added in St Edmunds Lane. There are new double yellow lines, particularly at corners.

The holes in the road either side of the iron bridge have been filled in and the barriers removed so for now West St Helen Street is open to through traffic from South Abingdon.

It had seemed likely — at least to casual observers — that St Helen’s Wharf would reopen to traffic by now. The holes around the church were filled in a couple of days ago, fresh tarmac was laid, and even the protective barriers around the new surface were removed, suggesting that the work there was complete.

Meanwhile, although the River Thames remains fairly high, it is not at a level that would require St Helen’s Wharf to close.

However, at the far end of St Helen’s Wharf, by the Iron Bridge, the picture is different. Holes are still open on both sides of the bridge with work crews. According to one.network, these works could continue until 6 March. That said, the new yellow gas mains pipes have already been installed on one side and the work could be finished sooner.

Something that has reopened on St Helen’s Wharf is the Old Anchor Inn. After being closed throughout January, with work being carried out, it opened its doors again last Friday and has relaunched with a lively programme of events, including bingo, quiz nights, live music, and food.