COUNCILLORS are angry about County Hall delays in fixing potholes and cracked pavements.

Rochford district councillors Jill Lucas-Gill and Keith Gordon say the county council has repeatedly promised to carry out repairs in Ashingdon Road, Rochford, then done nothing.

They say they were originally told the quarter-mile stretch between Dalys Road and West Street was set to be mended at Easter, then that the work would be done this summer.

Now County Hall says work may not start until the autumn – and only then if the county council can afford to do it.

Mrs Lucas-Gill said: “The road is appalling. It’s breaking up into great big potholes. Soon enough someone is going to have a big accident there.

“We’ve been trying for three years to get it repaired, but nothing has happened. Most of the calls I get from residents are about the state of the roads.

“We were promised the council would repair the roads around here this year, but nothing has happened.”

The pair have called a public meeting on the issue at Rochford Parish Rooms, in West Street, for tonight.

Mr Gordon said: “We’re tired of getting fobbed off. We’ve set up this meeting so the council can do something about it. It’s been a long time coming. It has had plenty of time to do it.

“Essex County Council seems to think our roads are rural, but we’ve got a lot of main roads here in the district and this road is one of the main roads from the district into Southend.”

A county council spokesman said it aimed to repair the worse potholes within two hours of being reported.

He added: “Those which are inspected and not identified as requiring an immediate repair will be considered as part of the planned maintenance programme, with the routes carrying the highest traffic volumes being treated first."