Southend Council inspecting potholes within 24 hour-window

If a resident reports a pothole on any road in the borough using MySouthend, it will be inspected within a 24-hour window or by the next working day, Southend Council promises.

The council is proposing an additional £500,000 funding per year to deliver "high standard" repairs with all potholes now being fixed using a more permanent solution.

Southend Council's proposed budget includes a major £18.6million investment to tackle potholes, with £2.3million to be spent on long-lasting repairs to major potholes, the Echo revealed yesterday.

This approach - where the area around the pothole is cut out as a square or rectangle and fully resurfaced - aims to prolong the longevity of repairs as well as reduce the costs associated with multiple investigations and temporary fixes.

New signs for pothole repairs have been introduced (Image: Southend Council)

While some major roads like the A127 may initially receive a 24-hour temporary pothole fix due to the high use of the road, others will receive a permanent repair within a 28-day cycle. This approach is signified by markings on potholes, indicating scheduled repair works.

Additionally, new signs have been introduced to inform the public about ongoing proactive measures.

Kevin Buck, Conservative councillor responsible for highways, transport and parking, said: "Potholes pose a growing challenge across the UK, with many local authorities grappling with repairs and associated costs that strain already tight budgets.

"Unlike numerous other local authorities, we have refrained from increasing the size a pothole has to be before we fix it and we have not extended our timeframe for dealing with them.

"We are also now making more permanent repairs which is better for drivers and more efficient, and proposing additional funding of £500k per annum, subject to cabinet approval, to continue our commitment to delivering the highest standard of service for residents and road users.

“Despite the council's best efforts in pothole repair, we still need the help of residents and I urge anyone who has a pothole concern to please report it via MySouthend.

“It's important to note that for an investigation and repair to take place, a pothole must be at least 40mm deep and 300mm wide. This ensures our resources are being directed in the most efficient way.”

The council says it has fixed more than 10,000 individual potholes in the past five years alone. In both 2020 and 2021, the council identified and repaired more than 2,000 potholes as road activity decreased significantly during the Covid lockdowns.

This "find and fix" initiative operated alongside the council's standard inspection and repair procedures.