Essex roads have never been in such poor condition, Essex County Council said this week.

Years of minimal maintenance and this winter's appalling weather have taken their toll.

But the largest maintenance spending of the decade is on the cards in an attempt to recover the situation with repair works planned for this summer.

County council principal engineer Colin Cranley said that a major £34 million repair programme would be undertaken this year, after at least three years when only £12 million a year had been spent on highway maintenance.

The Government has granted £14 million and the county is setting aside a third of its £60 million road budget for road and bridge work.

"It will be done by priority, but all roads will be repaired, including country lanes," said Mr Cranley.

"It is the considered opinion of the engineers here that it has never been worse -- and winter is not over yet. It could freeze again causing surfaces to become brittle and crack even more."

By Peter Baker

Reporter's e-mail: peter.baker@essex-chronicle.co.uk

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