RESIDENTS have hit out after a large pothole has gone unrepaired despite months of complaints.

The hole in Chapel Street South, Colchester, is almost a foot-deep and now concerned people have filled it with bricks and rubble to try to make it safer while they wait for it to be fixed.

Miles Borges has been the manager of the New Inn pub in the road for a year and a half.

He said: “The pothole has been there longer than I have.

“It is just getting worse. It has grown.

“One of my customers has damaged his bike going over it.

“I see people getting out of their cars and taking pictures of it after driving over it.”

He said he is now even more concerned about his punters’ safety as the street light switch off makes it impossible to spot the pot hole.

He said: “It is not safe for cyclists.

“Big pot holes like that are waiting for accidents. It is dangerous.

“It is not just here, it is a problem for the whole town. There are potholes all over the place.”

Philip Caney, who lives in the road, reported the problem in October and was told someone else had also raised the issue with Essex County Council.

He said: “It’s ridiculous and dangerous.

“I don’t know why the council hasn’t done anything about it.

“I can’t believe how long it has taken.

“People avoid it. They go up the kerb.

“Early in the morning and late at night I hear cars going over it.

“If the weather gets really bad it is going to get worse.

Repairing the pot hole should be a priority.”

An Essex Highways Engineer said: “Essex Highways carries out regular inspections of roads and footways and will send an engineer to inspect all reported defects to assess how urgently they require repair.

“In order to get the most efficient use out of our resources the Essex Highways Maintenance Strategy prioritises repairs to the busiest routes and most dangerous defects first.

“The defect identified in Chapel Street South, Colchester, has not met Essex Highways’ strict assessment criteria for immediate repair in previous assessments.

“However, we will arrange a fresh inspection of the site to assess whether the condition of the road has deteriorated and if any remedial action is required.”