A CONCERNED councillor is calling on highways bosses to take action to stop flooding on Halstead roads.

Former Halstead county councillor Jo Beavis says her old division “deserves better” and is asking Essex County Council to deal with flooding issues.

Problem areas in the town include Oak Road, Box Mill Lane and Sudbury Road.

Mrs Beavis says other rural roads in Earls Colne, Greenstead Green and Colne Engaine are also affected by flood water.

Problem roads include Sloe Hill in Halstead and Station Road in Earls Colne. They are already the target of surface water alleviation schemes which have been delayed by Covid-19.

Flood problems in the area are caused by blocked drains and overgrown ditches, but also by the building of homes, according to Mrs Beavis, who is also a district councillor for the Hedinghams.

Flooding and frozen water can also create more potholes, which Mrs Beavis is calling for action over. She said: “Halstead’s huge highways hazard is surface water due to the amount of blocked and broken water drains, blocked and overgrown ditches, additional homes and localised flooding downstream of the Halstead flood defence.”

She added: “We know that Essex County Highways will state that flooding, freezing conditions and snow causes potholes and so, on behalf on behalf of residents, I am urgently requesting that Essex County Council Highways invests time in Halstead before the autumn months to resolve issues in Halstead.

“The residents of the Halstead division deserve better from Essex County Highways.”

An Essex Highways spokesman said: “At Essex Highways we routinely clean out drains in each district as part of our cyclical drain cleansing programme.

“In addition to this, we have a number of surface water alleviation schemes due to be completed, which we are working our way through following the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Private landowners are responsible for the drainage from their land and have a duty to ensure their private drainage ditches are kept clear.

“We work with local councils and planning authorities to discuss housing needs and what infrastructure is required to support developments.

“Unfortunately, we have experienced a very high level of rainfall in Essex this year, which will cause temporary flooding whilst the water is being filtered down the drains.”