Epping Forest has the highest amount of 'top priority' potholes in Essex. it has been revealed.

According to the most recent quarterly figures, the district has 301 potholes deemed in urgent need of repair.

The figure rose from 239 in the previous quarter and is 100 more than Braintree, with the second highest number.

Despite this a council spokesman said: “Prioritising defects and repairing them in this manner is the most time efficient and cost effective method in one of the largest counties in the country with limited resources available.”

Epping Forest has the second largest network of major routes in Essex and has an average of four potholes for every mile of road.

Chelmsford, which has the largest length of major roads, has less than one defect per mile and Castle Point, the shortest network, has a similar ratio to Epping Forest.

All these defects should be repaired within 28 days by the county council’s crews, which are deployed on a daily basis.

However, it has been revealed there are no daily targets set for the 82 workers.

There is no timescale set for priority two or three defects and therefore they may never be repaired unless the council choose to reclassify them.

The Guardian is awaiting comment from Rodney Bass Essex County Council’s cabinet member for highways.