Essex Highways enquiries drop by more than a quarter following “targeted improvements to reporting issues”

PUBLIC enquiries to Essex Highways have fallen by 27%, with around 16,000 fewer in 2024/25 compared to the previous financial year.

The reduction in enquiries follows improvements to the reporting process. This includes being able to subscribe to existing reported issues, which has helped decrease the number of duplicate enquiries.

The improvements to the enquiry process were made in the same year several key initiatives, funded by Essex County Council, were delivered. These include Priority One and the Members Highways Initiative.

These schemes have enabled Essex Highways to carry out more proactive works. It has also seen prioritisation of the issues that matter most to communities.

In the first two months of 2025, Essex Highways recorded a 40% reduction in overall enquiries. This is compared to the same period in 2024 and includes a 47% drop in pothole reports alone.

Councillor Tom Cunningham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure, and Sustainable Transport at Essex County Council said: “A 27% drop in enquiries is a clear sign that our approach is working. Residents are seeing more works being completed, and that’s reducing the need for them to report problems in the first place.

“We’re grateful for the patience communities have shown while we work to make Essex a safer, greener, and healthier place to be.”

Essex Highways received 58,271 enquiries in the 2023/24 financial year and 42,250 enquires in the 2024/25 financial year.