This week the Leader talks about transport, potholes and public feedback, important topics for many of us locally.
I was really pleased to see the introduction of Transport Safety Officers which will help ensure safer train services in Southend-on-Sea. With the rise in concerns regarding safety on public transport, these officers will play a crucial role in safeguarding commuters and travellers alike.
Although we have worked with other councils and partners on this, I know our officers have really driven this forward to secure the funding. This demonstrates our commitment to community safety and looking at proactive measures to address safety issues head-on. By deploying these officers, we aim to create a safer environment for all passengers, reassuring them of their wellbeing during their journeys.
Talking of transport, potholes are always a popular (or not) subject at this time of year, with the freezing weather, rain and salt from gritting runs all combining to weaken many roads. We are committed to addressing potholes quickly and efficiently and we actually have one of the most responsive services in the UK. Whilst many have reduced service standard and take longer to inspect, we inspect potholes within 24 hours and are now carrying out longer-term repairs and moving away from the unsatisfactory temporary repair approach, other than on high-risk routes such as the A127 which sometimes need a temporary fix ahead of the lionger-term work. Investment into resurfacing our roads and pavements is also a key part of our capital budget plans for 2024/25 and beyond, as we know we need to continue to spend on this important area.
Transport was also a theme during the consultation on the future of family centres services. We have really valued the feedback on this topic and others, and several changes will be made to our proposals on how we operate the new service in the future
Listening to the voices of our residents enables us to tailor our services to better meet the evolving needs of the community, and we will continue to be a listening administration.
Have a great weekend,
Cllr Tony Cox,
Leader of the Council