HIGHWOODS residents are demanding action to improve roads in the area after reports of stretches "laden with potholes, crumbling roads and dangerous footpaths".

Essex County Council's Highways department recently acknowledged the deteriorated state of Eastwood Drive, with the subsidence and cracking of the road requiring urgent repairs.

This follows a budget statement from Essex County Council, which revealed it is investing less than half of the amount needed to correctly maintain its roads, footways, and street lighting.

The budget statement also outlined how the council no longer has a revenue budget for potholes, meaning the authority is entirely reliant on Department for Transport’s pothole fund and capital maintenance allocation.

Paul Constable, of Pampas Close, Highwoods, is one of many residents to complain about the state of the roads.

Paul said: “Eastwood Drive and Highwoods Approach are a disaster.

“As long as five years ago I complained to councillor Kevin Bentley.”

Paul said repairs made "are of poor quality", with Essex Highways "failing to hold contractors to account".

Highwoods councillor Jocelyn Law said: “The terrible state of our roads and footpaths is the most common complaint my residents raise

“People are fed up reporting serious defects with no action from Essex County Council.

"So, I’m campaigning on their behalf – we’re all worried there will be an accident if nothing is done.

“Labour county councillors asked for a funding pot to be set aside to monitor shoddy repairs by the appointed contractors, Ringway Jacobs, but the Tories refused.

“In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, our residents expect councils to monitor closely the services contractors are paid to provide.

“Highways repairs take too long and are poor quality when they are carried out – my residents deserve better, and I will continue to campaign for action on the roads and footpaths in Highwoods.”

A spokesman for Essex Highways said: “After the exceptionally dry summer, parts of Eastwood Drive experienced subsidence and cracking.

“To deal with this issue, we have brought forward our planned machine works for this road, which are now due to take place later in the financial year. 

“If any defects deteriorate and are considered dangerous in that time, make safe measures will be carried out in accordance with our maintenance strategy.”