Residents have their say over roads in Cov chosen for repairs

READERS have criticised the council on which roads in Coventry are chosen for repairs due to poverty levels. One said that people who live in less affluent areas are ‘forgotten about’ as they pay ‘less council tax’.

Councillors criticised the ‘woke priorities’ and slammed the deprivation data being used in the process to decide on the repair works. Opposition leader Cllr Gary Ridley was “astonished” by this at a council meeting on Tuesday, March 19.

The city’s roads and pavements in the UK’S top 20% worst-off areas now receive an “added score” when ranking the ones in need of repair. Cllr Jackie Gardiner was “genuinely shocked” at the move of roads in deprived areas that will be resurfaced before roads in the least deprived areas. She added that it was “some kind of woke effort to spread deprivation fairly” and said roads are used “by everyone” and people deserve to travel on them safely. She explained that roads should be altered based on their condition alone and if so many need repairing, the money should be “fairly distributed”.

In the council meeting, she said: “Then perhaps those that pay the council tax for all the city services might see some level of improvement in the areas where they live,” she told the meeting, “bearing in mind they also pay the council tax for delivering specific services in deprived areas.

“I call on this council to ditch the outrageous policy and give every ward their fair share for the highway budget available, because this side of the chamber values the dignity and highway safety of all its citizens, equally.”

However, not all councillors agreed. Cllr Rachel Lancaster was “incensed” at what Jackie claimed she has intimated of “those who live in deprived areas are less deserving of having their roads [sic].” “Let’s further stigmatise those who are living in deprivation predominantly thanks to the Conservative government’s policy of hitting people when they are down,” she said. “I’m sorry but your intimation is that those who pay more deserve more.”

But Cllr Marcus Lapsa supported Cllr Gardiner and added: “She said everybody is equal irrespective of what council tax they pay, and they should be equal on the roads, so the roads should be repaired on a first, worst-first basis.”

Readers took to the Coventrylive Facebook page to give their verdict on using government data to decide how the council assigns roads that need repairing.

Tomman said: “If poverty levels are such an important determining factor, how come Asthill Grove (one of the more expensive streets in the city) has repeatedly had money showered on fixing the most trivial of defects?”

Austin P said: “It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out as a policy. Prioritise main roads with the heaviest traffic, second any link roads with the heaviest traffic then residential areas based on car ownership. It isn’t about socioeconomic areas it’s about fixing the whole and minimising exposure to claims.”

Janbag 24 said: “What about Lythalls Lane from Foleshill Road to the Cherrytree island? There are potholes all along this stretch of road. Drive down at your own risk.”

Philskey said: “Nothing new here, less affluent areas of the city have long benefited from priority funding and repairs.”

Another reader added: “I’m sure the council can and does use whatever “indices “it has to secure its position. They were probably never intended for such use. They have no place in the calculations for road repairs. Worst situations first, and then highest/busiest use routes next simple.”

However, one reader said ‘thank you’ for thinking about the less fortunate: “It’s about time us unfortunate deprived areas got first dibs of the road repairs. We always get left till last and then there isn’t enough money left to help us, so good on whoever decided this, as we need more people to give us the help needed.”