MORE than 200 North Herts residents have signed a petition which calls on Herts County Council (HCC) to take action over roads in urgent need of repair. Petition forms were circulated by North Herts Liberal Democrats in a newsletter. Liberal Democrat camp

MORE than 200 North Herts residents have signed a petition which calls on Herts County Council (HCC) to take action over roads in urgent need of repair.

Petition forms were circulated by North Herts Liberal Democrats in a newsletter.

Liberal Democrat campaigner and Ashwell resident Ian Simpson presented the petition, which asks the council to "meet their responsibilities to keep our highway in good condition," to HCC.

Mr Simpson said: "This is an issue which is raised frequently by residents who are rightly convinced that our roads are getting worse year on year. "There is a large backlog of roads in our area needing urgent repair.

"The county claims it has no money to make these repairs, but poor prioritisation and Herts Highways are as much to blame.

"Wherever you live there will be some roads that are in need of repair."

HCC's executive member for highways Cllr Stuart Pile said: "HCC has put record amounts of money into roads maintenance in the last three years, including an additional £30 million from our own efficiency savings.

"We are also now repairing 60 per cent of all reported potholes in an average of four days, using our new cut and hot fill permanent techniques.

This means we no longer have to return to the same pothole again and again.

"We have a duty to fill all potholes in 24 hours where a safety risk is assessed, and this will continue.

"However, with the additional money we have put into roads we are at last seeing a reduction in the number of poor roads and an increase in public satisfaction."

The petition can still be signed at http://www.northhertslibdems.org.uk/roadspetition