ESSEX endured thousands more roadworks than anywhere else in the UK according to data retrieved from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.

Over the 2021-22 financial year, the number of street and roadworks in Essex numbered 77,423, which is 25,000 more than Staffordshire County Council, the local authority area which had the second highest number of roadworks.

The statistic will not come as a surprise to residents in Colchester, who have been lumbered with developments on the A12 which could last into 2024.

Commuters faced gridlock last week because of the roadworks, which will involve reconstructing junctions 25 and 26 on the A12 and started last month.

Data also showed that out of the 77,423 roadworks which took place between April 2021 and March this year, almost 63,000 were undertaken by statutory undertakers such as broadband providers, which are given a licence to carry out road developments.

Staffordshire County Council endured 52,871 roadworks over the 2021-22 financial year, with Cardiff Council recording 43,252 repairs over the same time period.

Councillor Martin Goss branded the A12 works as “ridiculous,” and MP for Colchester Will Quince has pledged he will raise the issue with both National Highways and Essex County Council.

Responding to the roadworks on the A12, a National Highways spokesman asked for patience from commuters.

He said: “While this work is necessary, we are aware of the inconvenience this causes to those regularly using the road and we remain grateful for their patience while this is completed.

“When complete, the new road surface will be quieter, smoother, and easier to maintain. That means increased safety and less disruption over the coming years.”

When the countywide figures were put to Essex County Council, however, a spokesman explained Essex has one of the largest road networks in the UK and has a growing population due to housing developments.

He said: “As it is such a large network, it naturally requires more roadworks to be recorded than a smaller county.

“With the county constantly expanding with new housing developments, additional utility services are required for both domestic and commercial use – this all contributes to the economic prosperity of the county.”