Panic over Pavements Exaggerated by Tories!

10.00.00am GMT Fri 13th Mar 2009

The Tories at County Hall are now scaring the residents of Somerset into believing it isn't safe to walk on the county's pavements.

They've taken as proof a 'performance indicator' used by the Audit Commission, which looks at 4% of town centre pavements (i.e. those well-used) and from them, selects 2% for inspection each year. The measurement even registers cracks which present no risk at all. Because of this, the Audit Commission themselves recognise the system is seriously flawed.

The Liberal Democrat administration is therefore working cross-party, with all the other counties to develop their own indicator for the condition of pavements, including those in residential areas and on new estates.

These comments from the Conservative group go against a recent National Benchmarking survey which measured 'public perception' of each of the Highways services, in which the state of our pavements raised no concerns.

Jill Shortland, Leader of the County Council commented this morning;

"As the Tories know, the Lib Dems have invested more in Highways, bringing our carriageways up to some of the best in the country. With nowhere to go, they are now criticising our pavements, based on a flawed measurement and telling our elderly residents it's not safe to go out to do their daily chores. It's a nonsense and they know it!"

ENDS.