HIGHWAYS workers who were resurfacing a road stopped the works A FOOT away from a pothole.

Recent road resurfacing has taken place in Berechurch Road, Colchester, over the past 10 days.

As well as resurfacing, staff at Essex Highways repainted the double yellow lines along a 200 yard stretch.

Ward councillor Dave Harris (Lab) said although the works were good quality, they had stopped just inside the junction of Queen Mary Avenue, and a pot hole.

He said: “Incredibly, the junction resurface stopped just 10 to 12 inches short of a pot hole. One would think some common sense would have been applied to the resurfacing.

“To add insult to injury, the yellow line repaint went OVER the pothole, such that the pot hole has yellow lines inside it.

“This to me means the contractor is only obeying a rigid contract and not applying common sense to the jobs on the ground.”

He said it takes the eye off “what otherwise was a good job”.

The pothole, which has been there for about three months, is 12 inches by 14 inches.

Mr Harris said admittedly is was not that deep, and did not meet council criteria to be filled in urgently.

Mr Harris added: “The road looks lovely, it’s just stupid to leave the pothole. They must have known about it at the planning stage.

“I am a tad frustrated as being a county councillor I am reporting highway defects all the time, and getting a resurface on my area is no mean achievement – so I feel a bit let down.”

He feels highways workers should be given leeway to use their common sense when it comes to roadworks.

We contacted Essex Highways to ask why the pothole had not been filled in.

An Essex Highways spokesman said: “Our road surfacing manager will visit to check this site early next week.

"We suspect the issue was caused by one or more parked cars when the surfacing was carried out, but will be able to confirm following this visit.

"Lining is sometimes carried out some time after the surfacing has set.”