The former California governor said the “giant pothole” had been plaguing drivers and cyclists in his Brentwood neighbourhood for weeks — but city officials say he may have made a mistake.

“This location is not a pothole,” a spokesperson for the City of Los Angeles told NBC Los Angeles. “It’s a service trench that relates to active, permitted work being performed at the location by SoCal Gas, who expects the work to be completed by the end of May.

“As is the case with similar projects impacting City streets, SoCal Gas will be required to repair the area once their work is completed,” the spokesperson said.

“Today, after the whole neighbourhood has been upset about this giant pothole that’s been screwing up cars and bicycles for weeks, I went out with my team and fixed it,” he wrote on Twitter. “I always say, let’s not complain, let’s do something about it. Here you go.”

A neighbour rolled down her car window and shouted her thanks.

“You’re welcome,” said Schwarzenegger, decked out in work boots, a leather jacket and shades reminiscent of his role in ‘The Terminator’.

“You have to do it yourself. This is crazy. For three weeks I’ve been waiting for this hole to be closed,” he said.