ANGRY residents have hit out at highways bosses who have told them potholes in their roads are not bad enough to be fixed.

After receiving complaints from constituents, Wickford Independents councillor David Harrison has reported a series of road faults to Essex Highways.

But Mr Harrison was told none of the holes met the county's criteria for repairs to take place.

The councillor, who represents Wickford Park, reported issues in West Beech Avenue, Mount Road, Guernsey Gardens, Alderney Gardens, Alicia Avenue and London Road.

Mr Harrison said: "There have been so many people that have been complaining about the potholes and residents have raised concerns with me.

“I asked the council about why workers will come out and spray the potholes different colours and also about the price of sending out workers to do this even when work is no being carried out on the roads.

“The issue is that the roads are meant to be maintained by Essex Country Council but the roads are not being maintained.

“One of the worst roads in my opinion is Mount Road. The potholes are very dangerous for drivers and especially cyclists who are swerving to avoid the potholes are going onto the other side of the road.”

Mr Harrison added that in some of the roads, tarmac was placed over concrete and the tarmac wears away, causing potholes to develop.

Eunice Brockman, 59, of Mount Close, Wickford, believes the town is being neglected by the county council.

She added: “I feel very strongly about this sort of thing.

“I have always felt that we are forgotten about in Wickford and we do get a raw deal which is wrong.

“I think that we should all be working to push and get these issues sorted because some of those potholes have been there for a long time.”

Mrs Brockman is standing for Wickford Independents in this week's Basildon Council election in Wickford North, against Dolores McGurran (Labour), Carole Morris (Tory) and David Radley (Lib Dem).

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “When we are made aware of issues the highways team look at whether they need immediate repair.

"In a number of cases where the tarmac has come away from the concrete the difference in levels is shallow and will not cause a problem for drivers.

"We do not have the resource or manpower to repair every minor defect – nor would this be a cost effective way of managing our thousands of miles of roads.

“Where there have been significant problems found, these have been logged for repair and will be done so through our ongoing maintenance programme.”