Repairs relief in sight over frustrating potholes

IT seems we might, finally, be heading towards more spring-like weather, with some sunshine and warmth being experienced in Brentwood and Ongar in the last week.

This comes after one of the wettest Februarys on record, and what feels like one of the wettest winters for a while.

Sadly, wet weather does little for our roads and the bane of all our lives, potholes, cannot be fixed properly while it is raining incessantly.

However, the lightening of the evenings, and the prospect of some sunshine, means additional Government funding for Essex County Council to get out and get fixing potholes can finally be put to use.

Essex County Council

has responded to the Government’s request to set out its plans for £7,740,000 to be used to repair and resurface roads in Essex over the next two years as part of £121,205,000 allocated to Essex as part of an 11-year plan to improve local roads.

This nationwide programme of pothole repairs and road resurfacing projects has been made possible by the first tranche of £8.3 billion in reallocated HS2 funding.

As a condition of this funding, and to make sure money is being spent on pothole repairs, local authorities are required to have published twoyear plans detailing exactly which local roads will benefit.

The plans for Essex, including Brentwood and Ongar, can be found at https://www.essexhighways.org/ made-possible-by-reallocated-hs2funding

I know how frustrating potholes and poor-quality roads can be and I am extremely pleased the Government is sticking to the plan to improve journeys for drivers across the country by helping to fund more road and pothole repairs.