COUNCILLOR for Cameron ward Tim Hayes has described the condition of a road in Clunes as being so bad, "it makes a road in downtown Baghdad look like a Formula One racetrack".

But at a meeting held last night, after The Advocate went to print, Hepburn Shire Council was to recommend the road not be reconstructed, contrary to a request by the Cr Hayes and residents in the court.

Twenty-two residents and users of Criterion Crt have petitioned the council, asking for the road to be fully rebuilt, as well as for street signage and lighting to be installed.

Although the council was to recommend that street signs and lights be provided as requested, it said it did not have the estimated $180,000 available to reconstruct the road.

Three days after a report in The Advocate about the condition of the road late last month, maintenance work was carried out on the road surface, but this has been described as a short-term fix.

Cr Hayes, who inspected the road, said "the road is absolutely cluttered with quite deep potholes and they have been filled with gravel but I don't think that will last".

"It is satisfactory now but it's a bandaid solution and the next time we get some heavy rain, the road in my view, will return to its previous condition."

But Director of Infrastructure and Development Rod Conway said the recent works had brought Criterion Crt "up to a good standard".

Mr Conway said "I can appreciate some residents would like the road reconstructed but the reality is council doesn't have the funds available".

John Young, a resident in the court and head petitioner, said the maintenance work on the road would last about two months.

"Basically they've patched it up three days after the story in the paper.

"But they've just patched it so it's a temporary fix."

Council commissioned a report into the condition of the road ahead of the meeting, but found it was not bad enough to justify a total reconstruction.