The number of potholes on all categories of Essex roads has fallen over the summer.

In the three months to September 30 this year, pothole numbers have fallen by 15 per cent on Essex County Council’s Priority 1 routes and by 32 per cent on Priority 2 routes, compared to the previous quarter.

Priority 1 routes are the Council’s strategic main roads, such as the A414, A127 and A133, which carry large volumes of high speed traffic through and around Essex, connecting the main centres. Priority 2 routes are other main roads that connect Priority 1 roads with local roads and include the B184, B1026 and B181.

There were just under 260 potholes and other defects on the County’s main roads in this period: 117 on Priority 1 routes and 141 on Priority 2 routes, latest Essex County Council statistics show.

Outstanding potholes on local roads have also fallen over the same period, from 4,626 to 4,380, a reduction of 5 per cent which continues the positive trend.

Since the same period last year, potholes on local roads are down by 18 percent from 5,464.

Essex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Maintenance and Small Scheme Delivery, Cllr Eddie Johnson said: “During the summer months with reasonable weather, we’ve continued working hard to reduce carriageway defects throughout the Essex road network.

"I’m encouraged by the latest figures which demonstrate sustained progress on roads that are pivotal to Essex’s economy, as well as our local roads.”