A SERIES of highways improvements will be carried out in the next few months – and future years – if Thurrock Council approves plans put forward by the cabinet on Wednesday (11 February).
Cabinet members were considering new bids for “capital funding” which include borrowing an extra £4 million.
Council Leader, Cllr John Kent told cabinet: “We have said for years, decades probably, that we do not have enough money to make our roads as good as they can and should be. I can remember back in the dim and distant past a councillor saying we only had enough for a pot of tar and a brush.
“A little dramatic, maybe, but he got the point across. Unfortunately, little has changed.
“But our new Highways team led by David Bull have shown that things can change. They are asking for an extra £4 million to be prudentially borrowed over the coming three years to start the work of improving our roads.
“If approved tonight, and at council, we will see great improvements.
“First on the list will be the improvements to the Treacle Mine roundabout. Last weekend we resurfaced and put down new white lines. In the near future we will permanently sort out the flooding issues there.”
The flood work will not impact on the newly resurfaced area.
Cllr Kent added: “This extra funding will mean we can resurface roads, whole roads not just fill in potholes – starting with parts of the A128, Daiglen Drive in South Ockendon and Long Lane in Stifford, as well as improving footpaths on Sherwood Road, Lawns Crescent and Stifford Road.
“Having just sorted out the lines on the Treacle Mine roundabout, we will also be targeting Daneholes, Riverview and Dunstable Road roundabouts, as well as pedestrian crossings and mini roundabouts across the borough.
“We will also be spending on updating traffic lights to LED (cheaper to run and more reliable) as well as their controllers. The first on the list will be the Chadwell Road/Rectory Road junction and the South Road/Stifford Road junction.
“The money will also see improved highway drainage as we clean all the gullies in the borough and deal with flooding problems such as at Muckingford Road and Ship Lane.
“And this is on top of the already agreed £6 million to upgrade our street lighting with energy-efficient LED lamps.”
