Locals fed up with 'major potholes' alter road sign

Residents said they had tried to raise awareness about the pothole situation in Patching Hall Lane, Chelmsford

Residents fed up with potholes altered a road sign to highlight their frustrations.

Patching Hall Lane, in Chelmsford, was unofficially renamed to Patch The Holes Lane, thanks to the crude handiwork of locals.

One man said he had given up cycling because the potholes were so "dangerous" in the area.

Essex Highways said the road was due to be resurfaced as part of a programme in September.

One resident said potholes had persisted in the road despite improvement works

A second resident said despite "well overdue" previous improvements made to the road, problems had persisted.

He said: "It took a long time to get there and they only solved part of the problem.

"There are still major, major, deep potholes that need sorting out."

The man, who did not give his name when he spoke to BBC Essex, said the sign's temporary new look should be kept until the problem was sorted.

'Cause confusion'

Essex County Council pledged an additional £12m to tackle road maintenance across the county during a meeting in February.

The authority had already budgeted £99m to tackle roads, potholes and pavements, but decided to add more.

An Essex Highways spokesperson advised members of the public to not amend signage as "it can mislead residents and cause confusion".