Councils should "buy supplies from hardware stores" to repair roads
New suggestion to fill in more potholes across Essex after 'emergency'
A new proposal's been made that aims to fix one of the biggest complaints in Essex. It would allow parish councils to fill potholes using materials bought from hardware stores.
The idea from a former parish council chairman comes after Essex County Council declared a pothole emergency and with it another £7.5 million investment in highways maintenance for 2026/2027. The new Reform administration’s commitment comes after it inherited a gross budget of £174m for highways maintenance for 26/276 from the previous Conservative group.
Potholes are consistently among residents’ biggest complaints to the council. In March, Bernard Jenkin, Conservative MP for Harwich and North Essex, notably highlighted problems of two huge potholes causing concerns in Brightlingsea and Fordham.
But allowing parish councils to fill in potholes before they get big could save time, money and potential damage to vehicles, one former parish councillor who did not wish to be named, believes. He said: “My idea is for a parish council initiative to fill the smaller potholes in rural roads.
“These holes, up to 50mm deep, can be successfully filled with cold lay tarmac. This has an air-hardening resin binder and macadam and works perfectly well. I have filled holes in our private road that have lasted over ten years.
“The idea is that Essex could fund the parishes for the materials. This is not exorbitant, as a bag of cold lay is around £13 from hardware stores. The only tools needed would be a tamper and a traffic stop go paddle to control traffic which are both inexpensive.
“You could have a three-volunteer crew – two for the filling and one on traffic control. Dealing with the small holes would stop them from becoming big holes, and it would free Essex’s repair crews to focus on the bigger, more dangerous holes.”
Councillor Lee Scott, leader of the Tory group and former cabinet member for highways said the council had previously offered a similar scheme when he was in charge. He said: “The only problem was that very few parish councils were willing to take it on because of a liability issue.
“Because if something goes wrong and someone injures themselves they’re liable. It was the only thing that seemed to stop people doing it.” He said there may be specific constraints in the highways contract that limits outside bodies doing work.
He added: “Is it a good idea to allow parishes to do some of the work? Well the answer is yes.”If it’s workable, it’s not a bad idea, but I’m not sure about the workability.”
A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “We appreciate residents who take an active interest in helping to improve and maintain the county’s highway network and are always open to new suggestions.
“Essex Highways uses a range of repair methods to address potholes and carriageway defects. These can include temporary repairs, preventative maintenance treatments and more permanent repairs designed to provide a longer-term solution.
“We recognise the importance of addressing defects as early as possible to prevent deterioration and to keep our roads safe for all users. Our teams regularly inspect the highway network and prioritise repairs based on safety criteria and operational needs.
“If residents identify potholes or other highway issues, we encourage them to report them using the Essex Highways online reporting tool."