Are Billericay potholes driving customers away? (From Southend Standard)

Are Billericay potholes driving customers away?

3:00pm Wednesday 12th December 2012 in Echo News By Luke Lambert

Terence Gandy with shop keepers David Withers from DGW Meats, Jeganathan Bonnyface from Cellers wine merchant and Casey Jupp from Cut Above.

SHOP OWNERS and former councillors have criticised Essex County Council for allowing the roads and pavements in Billericay to fall into disrepair.

The car park in front of the row of shops at Bridge Parade, Billericay is dotted with potholes and the shop owners say it is only a matter of time before someone has a serious accident, even claiming they believe the holes are turning customers away.

There are around 12-15 holes at the site, some of which measure 6-8 inches.

Dave Withers, owner of DWG Meats, in Bridge Parade, said Essex County Council are leaving the holes for far too long before coming to fill them in, and they are only a temporary fix.

Mr Withers, 43, said: “The holes really are deep and cause serious problems for the customers who use these shops. I would say these particular holes have been here for six months without any particular attention paid to what damage they may be causing.

“People are forever parking out the front and you hear them complaining about it and quite rightly so. It is getting to the stage where people aren’t coming here for the state of the roads. It needs to be fixed now.”

They also said the roundabout that links Mountnessing Road, Radford Way and Perry Street is already showing signs of disintegration, despite only being repaired in the last couple of months.

Former Billericay Town councillor Terence Gandy said it was about time the council took responsibility for the holes.

Mr Gandy said: “All it takes is for one person to fall and we could have very serious problems here. The roundabout had road repairs recently and to already see holes forming is not good enough. Residents shouldn’t be put out by failures such as these but we are all affected by them.”

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “Essex Highways are aware of these defects and repairs are currently taking place at the Bridge Parade site. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“Road defects on the roundabout that is adjacent to the Bridge Parade have been made safe by Highways Engineers. Full repair works on the roundabout will take place in conjunction with other potential works in the area to avoid unnecessary disruption to highways road users.”

To report pot holes in your area visit www.essex.gov.uk/highways.