The appalling state of our roads reflects a clear lack of investment into the highways by previous administrations, Hertfordshire County Council has admitted.

Over the past 15 years the amount of money pumped into our highways has plummeted, and as a result about one third of the county's roads have fallen into disrepair. The county council says it is now having to restore, and in some cases completely resurface, roads which have been neglected since the early Nineties.

But it says it does not have the funding to carry out road improvements overnight.

Hertfordshire County Councillor Stuart Pile, cabinet member for highways, transport and rural affairs, said: "We are catching up on years and years of under- investment in local roads.

"We get no money back from the Government to repair local roads - it comes from our money - capital funding, tax payers' money, council tax and from our own reserves.

"That's why we are begging government to give us more money because we think this county is important."

In the past three years an extra £30 million has been spent on Hertfordshire's roads with a further £77 million ringfenced for highways maintenance this year.

But the council admits the budget will not cover all major repair works that need to be carried out. It has set out a five-year plan to treat crumbling roads, giving precedence to those in dire need of repair.

Money will also be allocated to maintain roads currently in a good condition.

Councillor Pile added: "We need to spend more money, year on year, for another five years in order to bring the first minority of roads up to a good standard and keep them there.

"There will be disruption, delays and many other things during that period of time, but we are asking for patience - this is going to take time.

"Sometimes we can't do what we want when we want to do it."

Hertfordshire County Council responded following the launch of the Review's ROAR campaign in which dozens of complaints were received about the district's deteriorating roads.