Road Policy Changed After Council Rejects Resident's Complaints

Your Lib Dem Team are pleased to report that they have forced a review of council policy after residents of Park Avenue were left furious when their longstanding complaints - backed by nearly a hundred signatures - were 'effectively ignored' in a recent review.

Cllr McGuire has met with Park Avenue residents on several occasions to discuss their concerns over what she calls "a shocking, even dangerous road surface". In some places on the street, the original cobble road is now clearly visible, with the effects of several developments having rendered the surface 'dangerously uneven' according to the local Lib Dem.

The council promised to look into the matter, and subsequently issued a report which describes the road as having 'a range of defects', being 'badly crazed', and containing 'a number of potholes' - and yet which then concludes that no action should be taken. As the Cllr put it:

"The council agreed that the road is in a terrible state, agreed that a resurfacing would be of benefit, but said they wouldn't be doing anything as other roads are even worse. Agreeing with residents complaints, but ducking responsibility to take action simply because other roads in the borough are also appalling simply isn't a solution".

Cllr McGuire put this argument to council officers at a meeting to discuss the report on Wednesday, and they have now agreed to renew the policy procedures that led to the decision.

"Having ducked this issue for too long already, it's unacceptable to admit that there's a problem but refuse to come up with a workable solution. Roads that have been designated an HGV route, or are subject to heavy traffic, simply cannot be considered under the same criteria as normal domestic streets not subject to the same wear and tear."

"Put simply, Park Avenue is a disgrace, and the council are now belatedly admitting that without taking action it will deteriorate still further. Any policy concluding that nothing should be done in such circumstances clearly isn't working, and I'm glad the council are now waking up to that fact."