A few weeks ago, I and some fellow Lib Dem activists went door-knocking on Connaught Road and Lancaster Road to ask residents what issues they were concerned about.  The issue that was most commonly raised was the state of the local pavements, and particularly the amount of dog mess. Some residents were particularly concerned about the health impact on children – who can catch serious diseases.
As a result I have contacted the Council, and they have agreed to look to see if the area needs more dog mess bins and more notices telling dog owners to clear up after their pet. A highways inspector has also been round and identified locations where repairs are needed to make the pavement more even.
The pavement that most annoys Lancaster and Connaught Road residents  is the narrow section at Lancaster Road near Stapleton Hall Road (see picture with Lib Dem activist Katherine Reece). What makes people angry is that without any consultation the Council installed railings making the path even narrower.  It is now impossible to get big buggies down the road and lots of residents have told me how they’d love the railings to be scrapped and the pavements widened.
Sadly, despite repeatedly pressing the Council on this they are unwilling to budge. Network Rail paid the Council to install the railings to reduce the risk of vehicles coming off the road and landing on the train tracks. We’ll keep up the pressure on the Council to make this area more pedestrian friendly – please contact me with any practical suggestions.
