'Don't use £25m roads investment for quick fixes'

Essex County Council has announced a £25m programme to improve the roads network

A campaigner has called for £25m of funding for Essex's road network to be spent on long-term solutions rather than "quick fixes".

Neil Greig, of the charity IAM RoadSmart, said motorists were fed-up with "worn-out" roads across the county.

It followed Essex County Council announcing the investment would fund resurfacing, sign repairs and the trimming of vegetation.

"It's always welcome to see some investment in the roads, but I'm not sure £25m in the context of a place like Essex will make a huge difference," Mr Greig warned.

"These one-off injections don't really help because they are used for short-term repairs when in actual fact what we need is a long-term plan."

'Pothole crisis'

The investment programme was dubbed "Priority One" by highways chiefs to reflect the significance they believed it held.

It would "substantially improve the condition" of the road network, the council said.

But Mr Greig said there was a "real pothole crisis" in the county that needed an extensive project.

"It is apparent in Essex and the rest of England because of years of cuts in road maintenance," he added.

Essex County Council leader Kevin Bentley said the investment was a "game changer"

In its announcement, the council said the focus would be on larger road resurfacing rather than targeting individual potholes.

The authority's Conservative leader, Kevin Bentley, said the money would be a "game changer" for motorists.

"Put simply, it will mean more crews on the roads, more roads being resurfaced and better signs and lines," he said.

"I live for the day when the government gives back to Essex the vehicle tax our residents pay so we can invest it directly in our roads.

"But, in the meantime, we are doing our bit on the network."

The latest funding came after a £12m investment was announced for roads in February.

Of that money, £8m would be spent on issues raised by individual councillors, the authority said.