Essex County Council has made improvements to its Tell Us tool to make it easier to report urgent Highways issues (eg potholes) online and the option to inform Essex Highways when issues have got worse. I am delighted by this news; my casework always has at least complaint from constituents about potholes or noisy drain covers, so making it easier for people to report their concerns to the correct authority is a good move.
Essex Highways relies on members of the public to report issues and problems through the online Tell Us tool.
These reports are used to understand where urgent repairs are needed. Last year, Essex Highways received over 50,000 reports from the public.
The improvements made to the Report It tool in recent weeks include:
- ability to report some urgent issues such as large potholes, fallen trees or flooded roads online
- an option to tell us that a known issue has got worse
- the ability to sign up to updates on an issue, allowing Essex Highways to make the reporting map clearer
- defect photos so residents can decide if the issue they wish to report is an existing one, or something new
A successful trial of reporting urgent issues online took place between February and April. During the trial, 242 online enquiries were received with 58% requiring emergency action.
The number of emergency issues reported during the trial increased by 84%, highlighting the effectiveness of the new online reporting option.
Other positive outcomes from the trial included a significant reduction in the average time taken to make issues safe, with response times reduced by more than half.
The number of highways-related calls also reduced, saving approximately 23 hours of call centre agent time in March alone.
The reduction of calls and streamlined online reporting enables highways inspectors to focus on more critical tasks. It also allows for quicker remedial action to be taken and is quicker and simpler for residents to use.
Essex Highways will continue to monitor the impact of these changes over the next year, especially through the busier winter period.
Councillor Tom Cunningham, Cabinet Member for Highways, Infrastructure and Sustainable Transport, said: “The new updates to reporting highways issues reflects our dedication to continuous improvement. It allows us to address urgent issues more quickly and effectively, ensuring our highways are safer, greener, and healthier for everyone in Essex.
“Any improvements that also make it easier for residents to inform us about issues on the roads are also very welcome. I hope those of us that use the Tell Us tool to let Essex Highways know about a potential problem find the new additions make doing so an easier experience.”
