Call for action after shock County Council report exposes ‘managed decline’ of Essex roads

Posted on by

R4U is deeply concerned about a new Essex scrutiny report that shows a programme of ‘managed decline’ of our roads by Essex County Council (ECC), and is demanding action by the County Council to remedy the situation.

Paul Gadd (R4U) Paul Gadd (R4U)

R4U’s Cllr Paul Gadd, Essex County Councillor (ECC) for Saffron Walden, said “I have just received a shocking ECC highways maintenance report detailing Council officers’ concerns that the county’s roads are in a period of ‘managed decline’, to use their own words. The report says that ECC ‘are investing less than half the annual amount required just to ‘stay still’; they ‘no longer have a revenue budget for potholes’; and that ‘the condition of footways, structures, vehicle restraints and school crossing flashing warning signs has been of concern for a significant period, and the current indicative investment levels will only worsen the situation’. In effect all our pavements, roads, bridges, drains, street-lights, signs, crossings, and safety barriers are steadily deteriorating because there is less than half the money required to maintain them to an adequate level – and all of this is before the current inflationary pressures.”

Martin Foley (R4U) Martin Foley (R4U)

Cllr Gadd continued “The ECC officers are clear that the Conservative controlled council is investing only half the funding required to keep our roads in their current state. ECC takes more than £50m from Uttlesford council taxpayers every year to deliver services for us, including highways maintenance. This report paints an absolutely shocking picture for the transport network in Essex. Moreover, this managed decline seems to have been hidden from voters before the last local elections, and nor was it disclosed to councillors when ECC were seeking approval for the last budget. I, and fellow R4U county councillor, Martin Foley, are writing to ECC to demand an urgent explanation of how they expect to remedy the situation, keep road and pavement users safe, and properly maintain our roads.”

In their report, ECC state that their roads are in 'managed decline' and there is inadequate funding to maintain them.

Claiming for damage to your vehicle

If your vehicle has been damaged due to the poor maintenance of an ECC road, you can make a claim against them. Visit our Get Help page and search for ‘potholes’ to find links to report potholes and other road defects, see on a map if they have already been reported, and submit a claim.

Go to top

About Residents for Uttlesford

Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) is the local independent party of north-west Essex towns and villages. It believes that on local issues residents should decide, not Westminster parties. R4U’s success has been based on the desire to give local people a voice and implement long range strategic and sustainable plans for where they live. It has turned around both councils it has been elected to lead to make them now multi award-winning.

R4U leads Uttlesford District Council (UDC). In its first election in 2015 it became the second party at UDC. In May 2019, it gained majority control of the authority by inflicting the biggest loss of seats on any Conservative controlled council in the UK. In May 2023, R4U retained control of UDC.

R4U also leads Saffron Walden Town Council, where under its stewardship the council since 2015 it has rebuilt finances, invested in community assets, and won multiple awards, including the best run council in Essex.

Residents for Uttlesford can be found on the web at www.residents4u.org.

Show more...
Show less

Go to top