Trip hazard resolved – a day after we highlight danger
“Why hasn’t it been sorted?” went the cry from residents – for months. But less than 24 hours after MotspurPark.info focused on the pavement hazard in West Barnes Lane these raised slabs have been re-laid.
Residents had been complaining about the potentially life-threatening hazard, thought to be caused by roots from the large tree that was cut down a couple of years ago near the corner with Marina Avenue.
“I mentioned it to a councillor who had a stall up near there ages ago, yet nothing seems to have been done,” said an elderly local, who asked to remain anonymous, on Thursday, 30 October, 2010.
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“I’ve nearly tripped on it many times, but I know it’s there. It’s much harder to see in the dark. I think it’s terrible,” she added.
The same day it was reported, with photographs, to Merton Council via a website called Fix My Street (www.fixmystreet.com).
The nationwide site allows users to enter their postcode and report all kinds of street hazards including broken or badly laid paving, graffiti, fly-tipping and broken paving slabs or street lighting.
The exact location of the problem can be pinpointed on a map and users can return to the site to view what progress has been reported.
Hours after the issue of the West Barnes Lane paving stones was reported on Thursday, the update on the Fix My Street website read: “Posted by Merton Council at 14:44, Friday. Passed to our contractors for urgent repair today.”
By Friday evening the problem slabs had been re-laid.
Unseen danger
Neighbourhood Watch Street Co-ordinator for Marina Avenue Bob Forsberg, 54, said: “It was like that for a long time now, and seemed to be getting worse. I couldn’t believe the council was unaware of it, and I wonder why it wasn’t corrected sooner. At least it’s done now.
“Older people are particularly vulnerable to falls. Youngsters like me can normally take a trip and have nothing worse than a bruised knee. But our bones get brittle as we age.
“A few years ago I lost a very dear aunt after she had a fall and broke her hip. An infection set in and there was nothing they could do to save her. She was 89 but she died as a direct result of that fall.”
Top priority
Merton Council’s street management division, based in the Civic Centre in London Road, Morden, has three levels for categorising and dealing with trip hazards or other pavement defects.
Priority one includes “slab movement, uneven ironwork, and potholes with a trip exceeding 20mm in busy urban area”.
West Barnes Lib Dem Cllr Mary-Jane Jeanes said she reported the raised paving stones on 16 September and was pleased it had been mended when she visited on 2 October.
She said: “The council's contractors always have a long list of such jobs throughout the borough and they are prioritised according to urgency. Generally repairs are carried out quite quickly."
Cllr Jeanes added she found the Fix My Street website very useful, although there was often a time lag while the message got passed to the appropriate department in the council.
“However, I am glad you used it, as it may have speeded up the repair,” she added. “In general, if the council gets several reports of the same problem from different people the job may get moved up the job list. I am on the Fix My Street mailing list, so I see all the problems reported in the area.”
West Barnes Conservative Cllr Gilli Lewis-Lavender told MotspurPark.info: “Broken and uneven paving stones are an ongoing problem, which present a serious hazard for residents especially the elderly and young children.
“If you spot any problem areas in the ward, please contact me asap and I will get them resolved as soon as possible.”
Other problems
Another raised paving stone that has alarmed some elderly residents is in Marina Avenue, halfway along on the southern-side pavement, near the turning circle.
In this instance a driveway across the pavement has meant paving stones had to be cut, and it is one side of these that has become raised.
“It’s yet another place to be very careful,” said an observer. “Some of the pavements are in a terrible condition.”
This second issue has also been reported and the Fix My Street update currently reads: “Posted by Merton Council at 12:06, Friday. Logged on system and passed to an officer to inspect. Ref 12232954.”
MotspurPark.info will keep you updated if, and when, any action is taken.
● Do you have bad paving near you? Send us a photo at mail@motspurpark.info.
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External links:
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[MotspurPark.info tries hard to get facts right, but if you spot a mistake or something missing, please write to mail@motspurpark.info]
BEFORE: Raised slabs near the zebra crossing in West Barnes Lane...
AFTER: ...within a day Merton Council’s highways gang have sorted it
The Fix My Street site flagging up Motspur Park reports and listing others
In nearby Marina Avenue more paving stones are a danger
