When
you see an elderly person black and blue from a pavement fall, clothes
ruined, skin grazed and bruised, take a moment or two out to send an email
or make a telephone call. Remember if TMBC don’t know of specific
problems, they can’t begin to get them fixed.
Most
TMBC Councillors’ will happily assist you in a very able and sympathetic
manner.
Remember,
if one day you did become disabled you would still want to be as independent
as possible. Broken pavements might well prevent your ability to retain your
independence should you become reliant on a wheelchair say.
Some
organizations for disabled people point out that a really fit person is a
disabled person waiting to happen - Old age: Bump in a motorcar; Sporting
Injury, Industrial Injury, Pavement Fall: Etc. any of these could place you
in a wheelchair.
Don't
put up with unsafe pavements and high kerbs.
Don’t
be put off; things are going to get better through lobbying. Have you ever
noticed how those who lobby best get the best pavements and footpaths – So
it does work - You won’t see many broken slabs and surfaces in areas where
the rate of motor ownership is high, even though the roads and drives are
longer, most of the footpaths are therefore much less intensively used.
We
need to lobby harder if we want to see any real pavement
improvements. Mothers with Children in Prams – The
Elderly and Infirm - Users of Public Transport – Tourists – Visitors:
Etc. All have a need for reasonable safe and high standards of access.
Strangely
where people do the most walking and where the pavements are in general
shorter, more used due to a much higher density of population (even though
the Council Tax take is very much higher per block in these areas, the
conditions on streets are often not too good).
Where
the Council Tax £ take is highest is money being applied proportionately
(on a per capita basis?) - We don't think so - We would like to know.
You
may find very unacceptable levels and poor upkeep of major routes in high
density areas; logically this should NOT be allowed to continue.
Some
people even claim that police officers tend to avoid beats in areas with
heavily broken pavements.
We
wondered if 20% of urban pavement / journey length is really used actively
by 80% or more of an area's population?
With
the possibility of an Oil Crisis Looming it makes very good sense to upgrade
footpaths, pavements and Rights of Way Now! Just so
we don’t all get caught out later if there is a flap.
The E. E.
C. and D. W. P. are especially keen to see much better disabled access to
pavement routes and buildings too, a quick glimpse at their websites will
show that their policy is very clearly stated for all to see.
In respect
of BROOMWOOD WA15 (we are not talking about miles of motorway) just the
normal resurfacing of 500 - 600 Metres of the pavements along the most used
routes on Broomwood Estate, initially just to provide a safe basic though
service to residents.
