FED-UP CITY RESIDENTS SAY: OUR ROAD IS CRUMBLING

DISGRUNTLED residents in Coventry say their road is “crumbling away” and is a danger to drivers and pedestrians.

Neighbours on Walton Close in Binley and Willenhall took a 21-strong petition to the authority on Monday, October 21, calling for action.

At a meeting of the cabinet member for city services, one resident said: “I think it’s more serious where the certain depth is actually crumbling away.

“When you actually drive in the car it is dangerous.

“Somebody could trip over these holes, some of them are that bad.”

The road is split into two by a walkway, but residents say the section leading off Quorn Way is problematic as it’s used “as a main road” to access the back of houses, and by parents picking up their children from nearby St Bartholomew’s Church of England Academy.

Residents also said one side of the road is worse because it gets more sunlight, with highways officer Tracy Cowley admitting “it is probably drying out”.

The last annual safety inspection of the road was carried out on February 28 2019, she said, at which time there were no defects identified and no customer enquiries about the road.

Another inspection was carried out as a result of the petition, but Ms Cowley added: “The road and pavements are somewhat aged and although not aesthetically pleasing at the time of inspection there were no intervention level defects identified.”

Although engineers recommended localised patching on the potholes and a Micro Asphalt surface treatment over the whole area, the road did not meet the council’s “priority score” for action to be taken.

Ms Cowley said due to the scoring system and council budget available, the council would not carry out the works, but would monitor the site and keep it on the authority’s ‘forward programme list.’

Ward Councillor Ram Lakha, supporting the petition, said: “We need to move this priority higher.

“If it was another ward maybe it would have been looked at differently. Just because people do not grumble, it is on the back burner.”

But chair Cllr Pat Hetherton responded: “I take exception to that as other wards are not treated more favourably, certainly not by us.

“We cannot ensure it is a priority. You know how much money we have had taken out of the budget again this year.

“It is on that list and when it reaches that priority it will be done.”