ESSEX Highways has hit back at claims it is not fit for purpose after residents called for change.

The authority said it looks after 5,000 miles of roads which each bring their own challenges.

A spokesman said: “We look after 1,500 bridges and nearly 130,000 street lights. In the past year we’ve resurfaced more than 100 miles of roads.

“We have also installed over 10,000 new LED streetlights, cleansed over 90,000 roadside gullies and repaired over 8,000 potholes.

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“Since October we have delivered over 30 gritting runs on up to 57 routes and used 8,000 tonnes of salt so far.”

The spokesman reiterated the Highways crews work 24 hours a day, seven days a week to maintain the county’s roads, with inspectors out daily to identify and tackle emerging issues.

He added: “On a network as big as ours we can’t know everything, so we ask the public to act as partners.

“Looking to the future, Essex Highways’ Safer, Greener, Healthier approach is urging people to think about how they travel.

“Active travel methods such as walking and cycling can cut down the number of vehicles causing wear and tear on Essex roads and reduce congestion.”