ALMOST nine in ten defective pavements reported to highways bosses in Colchester in the last two years have not been made safe, the Gazette can reveal.
More than 1,100 footway defects in Colchester have been reported to Essex Highways in the last two years.
But a Freedom of Information request made by the Gazette reveals the highways authority has recorded 153 of the reported issues as being made safe or having works completed.
Culver Street West is the road with the most reported issues, clocking up 27 reports of pathway defects in the last two years.
The information was requested after Gazette reporter Elliot Deady tripped and fell while running along Bromley Road, Greenstead, in November as part of his training for the London Marathon.
He said: “Thankfully I wasn’t seriously injured, even if my ego was bruised, but I know I’m not the first person to have been hurt on dodgy pavements in Colchester and I’m sure I won’t be the last.
“The state of pavements in roads like Brunel Way, where issues which are yet to be inspected have been reported four times since April 2022, is disgraceful. It’s an accident waiting to happen.
“County councillors and highways bosses must take note. Fortunately, I was able to pick myself off the ground, clean myself up, and carry on running, but if someone like my dad, who is in his 70s, fell over it would be a different story.”
Four issues have also been raised in Bromley Road, where Elliot was injured, in the last two years, but Essex Highways says it received insufficient information about one incident and a defect has been recorded on the council’s system after another incident was reported.
Pavements in the city centre have caused high numbers of complaints, with 18 concerns being raised about St John’s Street and Long Wyre Street and 17 about Church Street.
Essex Highways insisted all issues reported to it are inspected.
A spokesman said: “In order to maximise our resources, we have to prioritise our work and fix the most urgent issues first. All defects reported to us are assessed by an inspector and prioritised accordingly.”
Residents can report pavement issues at essexhighways.org/tell-us.
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