Proposed changes to Essex County Council's highways maintenance strategy will mean that people in Essex will have to get used to bigger potholes being around for longer, as ruling Conservatives at County Hall fail to balance their road maintenance budget.

The proposals come just weeks after the Conservatives announced a £10m overspend on the highways budget. Cllr Keith Francis, Essex County Council Liberal Democrat spokesman for highways and transportation, said:

"The report outlining changes to the way potholes and other damage to roads and footpath are to be dealt with is riddled with inconsistencies, and it is hard to see how it will be of benefit to residents here.

The basic premise seems to be to wait until damage to road surfaces get worse before even looking to see whether it should be fixed or not. The Conservatives are recommending that when dealing with misaligned kerbs, for example, there is no commitment at all to provide a date for work to be carried out.

Apart from the obvious inconvenience to the public, we have concerns about the additional hazard that damaged road and footpath surfaces will have for cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians alike. This will inevitably lead to more and higher level compensation claims being made against the council.

The council has a duty to invest in all roads and footpaths in its care under a national code aimed at protecting state owned infrastructure. It seems to us that the council's proposals are a flagrant act of lack of care and responsibility in this regard."