THURROCK Council has been trumpeting the success of its highway repairs and emergency maintenance works across the borough – though not all residents share the view it's been a success.

As part of its keynote campaign to restore civic pride the council says it has been out across the borough conducting a range of works to help keep drivers safe.

Council leader Cllr Richard Bingley says: "Keeping Thurrock's roads safe, accessible and well maintained is an important part of building civic pride across the borough" and the council has issued a release highlighting some work recently carried out.

It says: "The council's Reactive Highways Maintenance Team carries out a wide range of repairs across the borough, including pothole repairs, footway and kerb works, street furniture repairs and emergency responses to hazards.

"The service also provides an out-of-hours response to ensure immediate risks can be made safe as quickly as possible.

"Recent works undertaken by the team include repairs to road surface deterioration and displaced kerbs in Churchill Crescent, Stanford-le-Hope, where an asphalt overlay and kerb resetting were carried out to improve the condition of the highway.

"In Wouldham Road, Grays, the team responded to an emergency involving fly-tipped material that was obstructing the highway. The obstruction was safely removed to restore access and remove a potential hazard for road users.

"Meanwhile, on London Road, repairs were completed to a damaged and redundant street furniture socket, removing a potential safety risk and improving the appearance of the area."

However, not all the work has won praise.

Recently Thurrock Nub News highlighted problems with a schedule of pothole repairs in Grays. Drivers and residents have also frequently mocked "button" or "cushion" type speed bumps and have moaned about 'unnecessary' and disruptive works to install them and ramps at junctions.

Only this week residents in Tilbury condemned resurfacing work in Tilbury on Arkwright Road that was described as 'diabolical'' and the workers who relaid the road were criticised as 'a travelling circus of cowboys'.

The anger was summed up by this comment: "Absolute disgrace. Residents get the bill, the inconvenience and a road that looks like its already been resurfaced by a herd of elephants in steel-capped boots."

Reacting to those comments, the council's deputy leader Cllr Alan Benson said he had raised the matter and the failings would be addressed before the end of the programme in October.

The council is currently in the middle of a £70 million contract with local firm Henderson & Taylor to carry out its road maintenance programme.

Despite the complaints, the council puts an upbeat front on the programme, saying its teams respond to defects identified through routine highway inspections, reports from residents and enquiries raised by ward councillors.

Cllr Bingley, reflecting on the work the council's release listed, adds: "These examples show the variety of work our highways teams undertake every day, from repairing road surfaces and removing hazards to responding quickly to emergencies when they arise.

"The quickest and easiest way that residents can help us to address issues and maintain our highway network is by reporting any problems they see online.

"To report a problem, visit: https://highwayreport.thurrock.gov.uk/en-gb."