HUGE and dangerous potholes which have left a major road “looking like a patchwork quilt” have forced council bosses to slash the speed limit.

Essex County Council bosses cut the speed limit on the A13 - between Five Bells Interchange and the Pitsea Flyover - from 70mph to 40mph yesterday due to “serious road deterioration”.

Essex County Council has been unable confirm when the road will return to its normal speed limit, despite being asked by the Echo, with emergency repairs taking place.

Pitsea North West Tory councillor, Stuart Terson, has called for a total rebuild “from the concrete” of the A13, described as “looking like a patchwork quilt”.

He said: “I use that road everyday and to be honest, I think it needs a total rebuild.

“It has been patched so many times it looks like a patchwork quilt and I think it needs to be stripped down to the concrete and entirely resurfaced.

“It has absolutely giant, awful potholes and I speak as a user of the road when I say Essex County Council needs to get something done on it and I hope they do resolve this.

“At the moment, the road is a mess, the tar has come off in great chunks, gravel is everywhere.

“The road also has issues with the banks on the left side, it would also need to have the drainage re-done.

“The road just needs a total relaying, since the wet weather there has been a sudden, massive deterioration in the quality of the road and it needs a total relaying.

“It is dangerous simply put.”

A spokesman for Essex Highways said: “A 40-mile per hour speed limit has been put in place between the Five Bells Interchange and the Pitsea flyover because of serious road surface deterioration and it was considered dangerous for drivers to travel at the national speed limit along this stretch.

“The road is being inspected and a lane closure is likely to be put in place so repairs can be carried out to prevent further deterioration.”