POTHOLES will have to be twice as deep before they are filled in, under new county council proposals.

Under current rules, Essex County Council must fill in potholes which are more than 25mm, or just over an inch, deep.

However, the Conservative-led authority will put forward proposals to the Policy Development Group on January 17, which would mean only holes more than 50mm will be repaired.

Angry driver Alan Shoebridge, 49, of Wickhay, Basildon, labelled the plans "ridiculous".

He said: "The roads are in a bad enough state as it is and this is just going to make matters worse.

"I'm a taxi driver and my cab's suspension takes a pounding when I drive down a lot of the roads in Basildon, which are full of holes.

"They should be filling them in quicker, not giving themselves a license to wait longer before the holes are repaired."

The opposition Labour group on the county council plans to oppose the changes.

Paul Sztumpf, Labour spokesman on highways, said: "Doubling of the pothole depth is simply not acceptable.

"The Tories intend to implement these changes on April Fools Day, but it is no laughing matter for the Essex public.

"The authority claims its road repairs team will be able to prioritise more effectively which roads are most in need of repair, if they are not obliged to fix every every pothole as soon as it is 25mm deep."

Norman Hume, Tory cabinet member responsible for highways and transportation, said: "A recent national poll carried out by Mori has showed Essex highways maintenance received a higher satisfaction rate than any other participating county in the UK.

"I am very proud of that record and the proposal for change will, in my view, make even more efficient use of our resources and result in further improvements to the condition of the roads of Essex."

The county council is responsible for maintaining all roads in south Essex, except in Southend and Grays, where they are looked after by unitary local authorities.