Essex potholes get deeper

11.40.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 23rd Oct 2008

Less than half of local residents are satisfied with the speed at which potholes are fixed or with the quality of the repairs. These are the findings of a review of Essex County council's highways maintenance initiative from the Conservative-led administration.

Commenting on the report, Chelmsford Liberal Democrat campaigner Stephen Robinson said: "These findings make dismal enough reading on their own, but they are really shocking considering the extra tens of millions of pounds that have been ploughed into road maintenance. Liberal Democrats have repeatedly pointed out the flaws in the Conservatives' handling of road repairs and this report justifies our concerns.

"Pavements and roads are the two top areas that people say they are concerned with according to the council's own survey. It seems absolutely clear that the Conservative policy of throwing money at highways maintenance and praying that the public will be hoodwinked into believing that large spend equals good roads, is not working. Effective, local management is the missing link."