Fed-up Clacton residents brand awful road repair works as 'unfunny joke'

Mark Hennessey, alongside several residents, has been calling on Essex Highways to carry out a complete resurfacing of Lymington Avenue, where they live, for nearly three years.

During that time, several ‘joint and crack’ repair works have taken place on what was a pothole ridden street, which connects Thorpe Road and Chilburn Road.

But Mr Hennessey, and the 300 local residents who have signed his petition, remain dissatisfied with the state and safety of the “patchy mess.”

At least five exposed metal bars are said to remain dangerously poking out, and the works have inadvertently littered the road with mini bumps.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Essex Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for infrastructure, has now confirmed the cost of the repairs as being £37,500.

Some of the work has been carried out at the expense of the contractors, and not the council, but the amount has still left Mr Hennessey and his fellow campaigners dumbfounded.

He said: “To leave the road the way it is and then not take it serious enough regarding the current dilapidation is just another unfunny joke.

“Unfortunately, I am not happy with Mr Bentley’s response and it is definitely not nearly £40,000 well spent – what a waste of money so far.

“As a local driving instructor, the number of pupils both old and new who actually comment on how bumpy it is when they drive along here is really unbelievable.

“Most, if not all of them, do not know our back story and the campaign, or that I actually live here.

“Surely the road is going to be repaired properly by being fully resurfaced soon and not left in its even more appalling state?”

The residents' main argument stems from the fact other roads in Clacton, which are not through roads like Lymington Avenue is, have been fully resurfaced.

In an email to Mr Hennessey, which has been seen by the Gazette, councillor Bentley said the authority currently has no intention of carrying out further works.

He said: “A senior officer from our asset management team has driven through the road and confirms that the joint and crack repair works are holding up well.

“Therefore, we currently have no further plans for capital investment into the carriageway here.

“Due to the ongoing Covid emergency we have had to review our working practises.

“Therefore, there is a need to prioritise critical maintenance and management of the network.

“Inevitably this will result in the de-prioritisation of less time critical activity. 

“As the defect logged for Lymington Avenue is not an urgent repair, it will continue to be monitored during future routine inspection.”