Resident anger over poor roads and pavements

4.18.13pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 15th Sep 2008

Lib Dem campaigner Fred Dunford and Baroness Celia Thomas survey pavement and access conditions in Waterlooville

Almost half of residents in Waterlooville are unhappy at the state of roads and pavements, according to a survey conducted recently by Meon Valley Liberal Democrats.

Pavements in Winifred Road and Jubilee Road are in a particularly bad state while, along with most parts of Hampshire, Waterlooville has not escaped the growing problem of potholes and damaged roads.

Prospective Lib Dem MP for Meon Valley Liz Leffman believes dithering from Conservative-run Hampshire County Council over road repairs has allowed the problems to get out of hand.

"Rather than carrying out proper repairs over the years, the County Council is just patching things up. For example, it is spending money now on filling in potholes, but only because it has spent so little in the past that potholes were allowed to appear in the first place," Liz said.

Lib Dem campaigner for Waterloo, Fred Dunford, who is a wheelchair user, faces a daily fight with poor pavements. He said: "Residents have spoken out because the pavements and roads are a state and are actually quite dangerous for elderly and disabled people, and people with pushchairs."

Liz has enlisted the help of Lib Dem peer Baroness Celia Thomas - who has difficulty walking - to support and publicise her campaign for pavement and access improvements in Waterlooville.