Defects on Uttlesford’s local road network have risen to almost 600.

According to the latest Essex Highways quarterly figures the number of defects – which includes potholes – has increased from 469 (up to December 2013) to 584 in March 2014.

Across the 3,230.6 mile local road network in Essex, the number of defects has increased from 10,397 to 11,674. Essex County Council (ECC) says the increase is down to the prolonged spell of rain which has caused the road’s surfaces to break up.

However, there was better news on higher priority roads across the county. Outstanding defects have fallen on ‘Priority 1’ roads (classed as ‘strategic roads’ with the highest volumes of traffic) from 1,796 to 1,280; and on ‘Priority 2’ roads (which provide an essential traffic management and distributor function between the PR1 network and local roads) from 3,746 to 3,296.

On the 49.9-miles of PR1 road network in Uttlesford, the number of outstanding defects has fallen from 85 to 62 over the same period.

Defects on the 222.4-mile stretch of PR2 roads has also fallen, from 348 to 281.

A very high number of repairs have been undertaken during the quarter – more than 8,000 across the three networks – and there will be a further concentrated effort over the next quarter too, said a spokesman for ECC.

“There is always a higher demand for carriageway repairs following the winter months and ECC is taking active steps to carry out repairs to the highest priority roads as quickly as possible,” said the spokesman.

County councillor Rodney L Bass, cabinet member for highways and transportation, added: “Our teams have been working extremely hard to attend to defects and I am pleased to say that substantial improvements are now at last being seen, particularly on the PR1 and PR2 network.

“We do of course remain determined to reduce the number of defects across the network as a whole.

“More money has been committed by the council and the Government and this should ensure continuing improvements to the overall condition of the roads in Essex.”