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'See-saw' road surface in Basildon is dangerous, say businesses

Stuart Woodward / BBC Charlie Mann, warehouse manager at Alpi UK Basildon, standing next to the damaged section of Miles Gray RoadStuart Woodward / BBC
Charlie Mann said the "see-saw" road was dangerous

An uneven "see-saw" road surface near an Essex industrial estate could cause accidents if it is not repaired, businesses have warned.

Charlie Mann, a warehouse manager, said some concrete slabs had dropped by nearly 4in (10cm).

"A lot of people are sustaining damage to their cars; punctured tyres, wheel rims are being damaged," he said.

Essex Highways said Miles Gray Road was due to be repaired.

Stuart Woodward / BBC Damaged concrete on Miles Gray Road, Basildon.Stuart Woodward / BBC
The road surface has damaged several vehicles, according to local businesses

Mr Mann, warehouse manager at Alpi UK Basildon, said the situation was "awful" and had been an issue for "absolutely years and years but it seems to be getting really, really bad at the moment".

He said: "Some of the slabs are lifting, almost like a see-saw effect.

"There's one particular part that's dropped by more than 10cm - that's some depth."

Charlie Mann Tape measure showing the concrete road surface on Miles Gray Road in Basildon has dropped by 4in (10cm)Charlie Mann
The road surface has dropped by nearly 4in (10cm)

Peter Barker, head of human resources at the firm, has reported the problematic stretch of road to Essex Highways on 11 separate occasions.

"They're putting the remedial measures in place, but not actually fixing the problem itself," he said.

"They are not maintaining [the road] to any reasonable standard."

Mr Barker submitted a Freedom of Information request to Essex Highways in October 2022.

In its response, seen by the BBC, Essex Highways confirmed 17 compensation claims were made for damage to vehicles as a result of highways defects on Miles Gray Road between October 2021 to October 2022.

Mr Barker said multiple potholes were compounding the situation, with metal road support bars left exposed underneath.

Essex Highways Essex Highways' website shows how many defects have been reported on Miles Gray Road.Essex Highways
Essex Highways' website shows how many defects have been reported on Miles Gray Road

A spokesperson for Essex Highways said the road was last inspected on 23 September and was now listed on a programme with joints and cracks to be repaired on a date "due to be set."

"In order to maximise our resources, we have to prioritise and schedule our work to fix the most urgent issues first," the spokesperson said.

"All defects reported to us are assessed by an inspector and prioritised accordingly. Members of the public can report issues at our online tool."

Information about the repair criteria and maintenance strategy can be found online.

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