Pothole? We’re on it. 60% increase in extra repairs helping improve roads across Essex
Improvements to the everyday journeys of residents is the council's aim
Residents will have better visibility of pothole repairs through improved information about repair works taking place across the county.
The ‘Pothole? We’re on it.’ campaign supports Essex County Council's £7.5 million investment in additional repairs and will provide clear and engaging updates on where works are happening, how repairs are prioritised and the improvements being made to everyday journeys
The investment has funded additional repair crews, with a dedicated team now working in each of Essex’s 12 district, borough, and city council areas.
Pothole repairs were 60% higher in July 2026 than in July 2025, demonstrating the positive impact of increasing to one crew per district.
Under the campaign ‘Pothole? We’re on it.’, a spotlight will be shone on the work taking place to repair potholes, and how these repairs will improve the everyday journeys residents make, such as travelling to the shops, on the school run or seeing friends and family.
Information will be shared on where repairs are taking place, highlight the work and the crews behind the repairs, offer insight into how repairs are planned and report the progress being made to repair as many potholes as possible.
A new website will provide regular updates on the potholes being repaired as part of this programme of works, including a public dashboard showcasing repairs and pothole progress across Essex. Residents will be signposted to Essex Highways’ website to find out further information regarding reporting an issue.
Councillor Peter Harris, Leader of Essex County Council, said: “One of my first actions as Leader of the Council in May was to declare and sign a Pothole Emergency. This decision was driven by the very real feelings residents shared with us before we were elected to run Essex County Council.
“They were fed up with the state of the roads and desperate to see improvement. Our message today is clear – we listened, and we’re on it. This campaign will help residents see the progress we're making as we continue tackling potholes and the wider decay and decline across our road network. It will report back on our progress and make it easier to find out what’s happening where you live to improve local roads. We’ve made a great start – the latest figures are proof of this – and there’s more to do. But we are determined to make a difference.”
Councillor Mark Webster, Cabinet Member for Highways and Infrastructure, said: “We know our roads aren’t in the condition they should be. Residents tell us that, and we can all see it for ourselves. That’s why we declared a Pothole Emergency and put more crews on the ground across Essex.”
“We increased those crews in June, and in July they delivered 60% more pothole repairs than in the same month last year. That shows the decisions we’ve taken are already having an impact, but there is much more to do.”
“’Pothole? We’re on it.’ is about making that work visible. Residents should be able to see where repairs are happening and judge the progress for themselves.”
“I’m not going to pretend we can fix every road overnight. But we can make better decisions, put resources where they’ll have the greatest impact, and keep getting more repairs done.”
Residents can find out more about the campaign and the ongoing repair work across Essex by visiting Essex.gov.uk/pothole-progress.