NEARLY 100 of the district’s roads are set foramakeover as Essex County Council launches a £137million resurfacing and repair scheme.

Braintree, Witham and Halstead have some of the worst pothole problems in the county with 16 per cent of its 466-mile local road network in need of attention.

From next Monday, work will begin on pre-surface dressing patching, replacing defective road covers and the removal of cat’s eyes.

A second phase will involve surface dressing.

Roads include Clare Road and Hunnable Road, in Braintree, Ebeneezer Close in Witham, Marks Hall Road in Coggeshall, plus dozens of rural roads in Gestingthorpe, Earls Colne, Lamarsh, Feering, Colne Engaine and Greenstead Green.

Rodney Bass, councillor responsible for infrastructure, said: “We know how important this is to people and to businesses and we intend to continue that trend, with our attention now shifting to tackling defects on urban and rural roads and estates, investing in better lighting and better footpaths.

“We will also be looking at investing in particular roads and bridges and also in LED lighting. Overall, the highways maintenance budget is increasing by over 30 per cent which is proof positive of our ambition to keep the quality of Essex’s road network up there with the best in the country.”

County Hall has allocated more than £300million for highways schemes over the next three years. Braintree will get a slice of the £137million resurfacing and repair budget.

Eddie Johnson, councillor responsible for highways, added: “We have listened.

"We have listened when local people have told us that cracks and holes in the roads and pavements matter.

“We have listened when business has told us that getting from A toB easily and quickly helps them to prosper.

“We have listened to the partners who have said that alongside the new homes and jobs we desperately need good infrastructure.”