Robert Halfon MP pledges to end pothole plague with more repairs to Harlow roads
News / Fri 14th Jul 2023 at 07:02am
MORE pledges for Harlow drivers as MP, Robert Halfon, pledges to end the pothole plague with more repairs to local roads in the coming weeks.
Working with Harlow Council Leader, Dan Swords, and Harlow’s County Councillors, Mr Halfon has secured more repairs to Harlow roads every month since April, with the latest round of works taking place across the town now. Over 29 roads in Harlow were fixed in June.
For too long, Harlow drivers have been forced to avoid potholes that have been blighting the town since last winter’s cold snap. Posing a risk to pedestrians and causing damage to cars, Robert Halfon lobbied Essex County Council to secure urgent repairs to potholes above and beyond the usual timetable of works.
The plan of works for July includes the following roads as well as many one off urgent repairs:
- Westfield
- Great Brays
- Tillwicks Road
- Fourth Avenue
- Red Willow
- The Street
- Epping Road
- Hamstel Road
- Ash Tree Field
- Helions Road
- Hastingwood Road
- River Way
- Paringdon Road
- Parsloe Road
- Kingsmoor Road
- First Avenue
- Southern Way
- Station Road
- Gilden Way
- Kingsland
- Mulberry Green
- Woodcroft
- Hollyfield
- Long House Lane
- Edinburgh Way
- Wayre Street
- Reeves Lane
- A414 From Northern Boundary To Burnt Mill Roundabout
Working with Cllr Lee Scott at Essex County Council, the Harlow County Councillors and Cllr Dan Swords at Harlow Council, Mr Halfon has confirmed further works are due to take place across Harlow in July. This programme will improve Harlow’s roads month on month. Work has already been completed on Tillwicks Road with more work starting imminently.
Confirming the work, Robert commented, “I want to reassure residents that I remain determined to end the plague of potholes once and for all. Working with Harlow’s County Councillors, I have continued to hold Essex County Council to account, securing urgent repairs and high-quality substantive works.
“This latest round of works is more good news for local drivers and comes after extensive works taking place every month since April.
“I would like to thank Cllr Lee Scott, Cllr Michael Garnett, Cllr Eddie Johnson, Cllr Clive Souter, Cllr Michael Hardware and Cllr Dan Swords for their support in securing a further timetable of works to repair Harlow’s roads. I have been working hard for many months to tackle our pothole problem and I am pleased to have secured such extensive road repairs. Hundreds of potholes have been filled in recent weeks but there is still more to do.”
This schedule of work is on top of the existing repairs planned and are thanks to an extra £17.5 million of funding to Essex County Council from the Government. Repairs have already been undertaken on several major routes across the town.
Residents are also reminded that they can also report new potholes directly to Essex Highways who will take action to assess, make safe and repair roads across the county. You can do this online at https://www.essexhighways.org/tell-us/problem-check.
Mark
2023-07-14 07:18:06
Mr Halfon says he has no influence over Harlow Council,so how will he have any over Essex Council?
Son of Old Man River
2023-07-14 07:52:11
Holes in their thinking and chasms in their plans. 1) Spencers Croft ringroad not listed: Shame on Cllr Swords neglecting his own ward. 2) Mr Halfon's pledge to "end the plague of potholes once and for all" is destined to fail unless ECC end their short-termist approach to highway maintenance.
Richard Adams
2023-07-14 08:39:18
I see the Conservative mirror and smoke generating machine has been restarted again. Lets not forget the Essex County Council has a statutory obligation to maintain our roads in a safe condition and that the Local MP and Councillors shouldn’t have to “secure funding” for something Essex should be doing anyway. No mention of the years of neglecting our highways to accommodate the Conservative Governments programme of austerity.
James
2023-07-14 08:42:14
Let's not delude ourselves, the coordinated efforts of our County Councillors and MP have borne results. This is very positive news for the Town and the works carried out so far are a noticeable improvement.
Kim Oconnor
2023-07-14 09:46:07
Keep telling ya self that ,, James Leppard.....the ones that have been fixed, are not even level, poorly done and won't last long.. Been done on the cheap... We pay for service s, and repair s, of all types, that are done on the cheap.... bodging..
Kim Oconnor
2023-07-14 09:49:21
Just one more thing.... how come Mr halfon, can get this done,,, when for months now,,, we have been told ,,, not any thing to do with councils... You change the story when it suits. Or is it,, that now getting done,, you all want to take credit for it.... 😂
Tony Edwards
2023-07-14 10:09:51
James/Robert, I suggest you take a look at Momples road to see what these "pledges" actually mean in practice, Momples was "patched" approx 4 months ago and the surface is already falling apart. With potholes, badly damaged speed humps and white lines never repainted. And yet we hear no comment from out County Councillors on the poor quality of repairs. Could it be because the County Councillors are only elected once every four years?
Adam
2023-07-14 11:19:38
So this is interesting, either Rob managed to this via connections and influence (which is fine it is how the world works). BUT if that is the case then why do we have town and county councils. As in effect he is saying the council are not up to the job and are inept. Either he is lying about his involvement or he is saying Harlow council and Essex CC both of which are conservative run are pointless. So which is it ?
Jasper
2023-07-14 14:46:48
Momples Road is a joke and is dangerous. Clearly nobody comes along after the work is done to check on the quality of said work before payment is made.
Simon
2023-07-14 15:03:18
Haflon the Johnson crony. We need him gone ASAP along with the rest of the corrupt lot. Look up his doners on Sky News. I'm a lifelong Conservative voter and that's why I can't vote for the party that even has a lie as a name. Conservative principles and values = none. It all about the grift with this lot.
Tim Shaw
2023-07-14 16:49:16
How about fuel prices next, Harlow again at least 6p a litre more for Petrol, why ? No response from Mr Halfon when Harlow was 11p higher than other local areas.
Jamie Warr
2023-07-14 16:57:12
Jackanory! Jackanory
David
2023-07-14 17:24:36
Let's hope they do them properly this time, and don't miss any, last time they missed loads almost next to each other.
Nick Gunning
2023-07-14 18:05:10
How about potholes in the pavement? I caught birth get in a shallow hole in the badly lit approach to the Stow- both knees heavily bruised, glasses broken, trousers ripped and blood pouring from the top of my scalp. Local shopkeepers thought I'd been mugged, with blood streaming down my face, both eyes bruised. I reported the incident several months ago and nothing has been done, not even warning signs. The staircase from the Stow to Aldi was dangerous because several steps had been vandalised. It took well over a month for those to be made safe. There are lots of elderly people with disabilities in that area and I dread somebody falling and unable to summon help- there are no houses within calling distance between the church and Moot House- I was lucky enough to be seen by a couple aiming to park. For the most part, potholes in the road can be disturbing, but the pavements can be lethal to those not encased in many hundredweight of steel! Many of the repairs seem poorly done- tarmac where there was concrete. Patching by private coms/water/fuel companies who, immediately the pavement is surfaced, sign them up again almost on a whim! Pavements are left as dangerous as before. Though I'd like my damaged things replaced, this is not a bid for money, it's a bid to protect vulnerable people- and maybe prevent them costing even more laid up in hospital!
Nicholas Taylor
2023-07-14 18:55:40
This is nothing more than electioneering and of course to late for all the people who have had cars damaged on Harlow's poorly maintained roads. Many of these potholes date far further back that last winter, and only the prospect of an election coming up has forced the Council to take action in the hope that the electorate will forget just how bad things have been for years.
Rob taylor
2023-07-14 19:09:36
More promises, we have been here before so I won’t hold my breath. Some roads have had potholes like tank traps for years and nothing has been done despite similar promises. It’s a wonder someone hasn’t lost their lives dropping into them. High profile areas will get done first then the budget will run out…almost guaranteed. If it happens great but I have my doubts.
Pedro
2023-07-14 20:58:56
This government is now spending more on migrants in the UK than its African aid budget Figures from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office show that the country spent nearly £3.7 billion (€4.23 billion) in total on supporting refugees and migrants in 2022. That is more than three times the amount it allocated in aid for the whole of the African continent; development and aid payments to alleviate poverty across Africa amounted to only £1.1 billion that year. Despite Rishi Sunak's pledge to Stop the Small boats, little wonder we don't have enough money to repair our infrastructure and fund pay increases for public sector staff.
Marie
2023-07-14 22:03:07
Pedro is largely right: the cost of bringing pothole-plagued local roads in England and Wales up to scratch has been estimated at £12.6 billion. We spend over £6 billion a year just on housing illegal migrants, not to mention benefits, healthcare, strains on health, education, housing, etc. Can't continue.
Mark Gough
2023-07-14 22:57:27
Pedro and Marie raise a fair point. Money can only be spent once, and if allocated elsewhere it can't be spent on roads. I don't see why this can't have been done earlier. But I do know a couple of things which are ridiculous and need changing. Firstly, Essex needs to stop treating Harlow like the forgotten District. I have mentioned before that I think the only way that'll happen is by holding back the Council Tax that Harlow collects for them - watch things happen then! Secondly, why has it taken so damn long to even get a program of works - let alone work actually done. Thirdly, this stupid policy of not filling potholes until they are a certain depth - the sooner they are filled the less material needed and the fewer damaged cars. Fourthly, instead of constantly renewing the Contract with same Contractor to use the same poor materials and do the same rubbish job on the cheap, perhaps sack them and actually get a new one that will do a better and more professional job! Mark Gough - Reform UK
Bruce Downey
2023-07-15 04:34:49
Yo momma so fat… when she goes jogging, she leaves potholes.😅
Mazzy Clark
2023-07-15 09:35:41
What about the shocking state of the pavements in some areas?
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