Angry residents demand action on 'UK's worst road' riddled with hundreds of potholes

Residents on a pothole-strewn road are angry it still hasn't been fixed.

Locals living near Seawick Road in Essex complained last January about hundreds of potholes and bumpy concrete surfaces which have led taxis and delivery vans to refuse to stop there.

They said some repair work was done in August, but workmen left without finishing, and as of Friday, the road is still "terrible." Residents of the Bel Air Chalet Estate in St Osyth, near Clacton-on-Sea, said previously that taxi and takeaway drivers refused to come to their doors for fear of ruining their vehicles and emergency services also struggle for access - leaving people feeling at risk.

The site features hundreds of chalets originally meant to be holiday homes. Residents accept they weren't intended for use over the whole winter - but estimate over 80% of people now live there full-time, and the site also has a shop, launderette, and a pub.

Essex Highways, part of Essex County Council, said the roads were private and it was not its responsibility to maintain them. A spokesperson said: "The Bel Air Chalet Estate in St Osyth is made up of private roads and all rights and responsibilities for the maintenance and management of these roads are private."

'Whole estate is fed up'

Jay Marsh, 54, who has lived on the estate since 2002, added: "I have déjà vu. We are back at the stage where the road is terrible and I have to worry about the car. The whole estate is fed up, it is really taking a toll on the vehicles and then that takes a toll on your pocket."

Marsh has owned a property on the estate for 21 years. He moved onto the road in 2022 and said it has "always been bad". He added: "It's not fair really, they used to come over and fill in the potholes but they would wash out in the rain. It's always been terrible for us, we're pretty fed up."

Recommended reading

• Biker who suffered life-changing injuries when he hit pothole sues council (Yahoo News UK)

• Tories accused of overseeing ‘pothole pandemic’ on England’s roads (Independent)

• 'Pothole pandemic' leads to 70pc jump in damage and injury claims against councils (Telegraph)

Paul Lucas, bought the local pub - The Village Inn - with his wife Geraldine, in 2017. He claimed previously that customers from three neighbouring caravan sites can no longer get to the pub so trade has dropped by 40%.

He said: “This causes me a lot of stress and it’s so sad for the community. We’ve got loyal customers but they only have so much money. The property company took over the estate and have never contacted me - and I just get the answerphone when I try calling them.”

Warehouse worker Aaron Dwyer, 45, has lived on the estate for several years. He said Seawick Road is the worst - and estimates there is more than a hundred potholes just on that 150m stretch.

He said last January: "I do honestly believe it is the worst road in Britain. They are more like craters than potholes. It's like a fairground ride. As soon as my front left wheel goes into one hole my back right wheel is still in another, and it goes on like that all the way.

"You can't go faster than walking speed or you'll hurt your head on the roof of your car because you're bouncing around so much. It’s an absolute joke. It just makes life a misery."

What causes potholes and how many are there in the UK?

A pothole is a depression in a road surface caused by wear or sinking. They start out as tiny cracks in the surface but can grow if not fixed.

Potholes are caused by a combination of factors, including heavy traffic, weather changes, and poor road maintenance. When water seeps into cracks in the road, it can freeze and expand, causing the asphalt to crack and break apart. Over time, this can lead to the formation of potholes.

Heavy road use and traffic on the UK's roads are also factors. Councils also have tight budgets to fix potholes. The RAC estimated there were at least one million potholes on UK roads and that number would vary depending on what season it was. The UK is more susceptible to potholes because of its climate.