A REPEATEDLY collapsing road needs an urgent survey rather than sticking plaster repairs, it is claimed.

Three sinkholes have appeared in Plume Avenue, Colchester since roadworks began, the latest emerging yesterday.

After eight years of complaints about the standard of the road, and the junction with All Saints’ Avenue, Essex County Council began resurfacing work.

But while trying to improve the surface it is instead collapsing into sinkholes.

One resident said: “It is one sinkhole after another. I can feel the vibrations of the roller in my house and then there is another hole.

“It is an absolute nightmare.

“We were told about the roadworks finally being done but since then they haven’t kept us informed.”

Beverley Davies, borough councillor for Prettygate, said she has been fighting for improvements for years on behalf of the residents and when the workmen finally arrived more problems were found.

She said: “They come out, patch it up, put more tarmac on top, but they need to do a survey.

“Something is going wrong under the road. It could be a stream, or a spring or something washing subsoil away. It could be a water pipe problem.

“I am not an engineer but they need to do a complete survey.

“Sticking plasters are not enough.”

A second hole appeared at the junction with All Saints’ Avenue and has not been fixed.The work started last month and with more problems emerging it is not yet known how long it will take to fix.

A spokesman for Essex Highways said: “We are investigating the extent of these defects, and once we have undertaken the necessary work to reconstruct the road, we will then be able to complete work to the surface.

“Unfortunately, structural weaknesses below road surfaces can create issues that are not necessarily detectable through routine inspections.”