Hole lot of trouble for drivers
DRIVERS don’t like to be beside the seaside – especially if they find themselves in Southend.
The popular Essex tourist trap has the worst roads in England, Department for Transport records for the past five years reveal.
The coastal town has the highest percentage of A, B and C roads that required maintenance, according to a survey by the car history check firm .
Based on government figures from 2018 to 2023, which showed road repairs for every English authority, the top three blackspots also included Derbyshire and Hackney in London’s East End.
Five of the capital’s boroughs make it into the top 10 with Derby itself, Shropshire and Liverpool completing the hall of shame. But
Southend topped the list because it had an average percentage of B and C roads requiring maintenance of 24.6 per cent combined with 15.6 per cent of A roads needing repairs in the same period.
Oliver Thompson, head of vehicle intelligence at Motorscan said: “It shows that road maintenance is an issue all over.
“While poor road maintenance can mean issues for your car with the risk of damage being done, it can also have a big effect on road safety as well.”
A further report from the Asphalt Industry Alliance reveals the amount needed to fix the backlog of repairs has hit a record £16.3billion, a 16 per cent rise on the £14billion bill a year ago. Last year, the Government set aside an extra £200million to help local authorities fund repairs. But councils are still struggling to fill in potholes faster than they appear.
A spokesman for Southend-onsea City Council said: “Using average figures based on data going back to 2018 is no way to judge the state of our roads in 2024, with our latest figures now at nine per cent and 11 per cent.
“However, it does highlight how much work and investment has been needed to improve our roads and tackle the blight of potholes.
“Our highways team are one of the most responsive in the region and our new approach to permanent repairs and resurfacing is making a visible difference.”