Hastings councillor's campaign for safer pavements

Councillor Andy Batsford, who represents St Helen’s ward, set up the Report It! campaign because he believes the paths in Ashford Road are ‘dangerous’ and put elderly people at risk of falling.

He met residents recently in Alexandra Park to launch the campaign, calling for East Sussex County Council to resurface the pavements in the street.

Cllr Batsford said: “For some time I and the late councillor, John Hodges, have pushed very hard for this at county council level to take it through to the overview and scrutiny committee.

“We had drop kerbs and the pavements in Ashford Way resurfaced a year and a half ago, which is fantastic but the next area that needs resurfacing is Ashford Road. It’s incredibly uneven and dangerous and an officer from highways said the pavements there were some of the worst in Hastings.

“I want to say a huge thank you for the continued support from the residents of not only Ashford Road but those in neighbouring roads showing a real collective spirit.

“As far as I’m concerned, being able to walk down the road without worrying about tripping and injuring oneself is a basic human right.”

Cllr Batsford said a high proportion of residents in the area were elderly.

He added: “The risk of falling for them is very high indeed.

“It is so important that all residents report every crack, trip hazard, fall and or near fall.

“Let’s make this an issue the county council cannot ignore.”

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: “We take any reports of highways defects seriously and inspect any issues reported to us to check whether they meet our criteria for repairs.

“We are aware of Cllr Batsford’s concerns and our highways stewards will continue to monitor the condition of the pavements in this area to ensure they are in safe condition.

“We actively encourage people to report any highways issues and this can be done via the new East Sussex Highways website at www.eastsussexhighways.com.

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