Figures recently released under a Freedom of Information request indicate that Cambridgeshire’s pavements are dangerous and worse than those in neighbouring counties.

The figures show the investment in footway maintenance by year over the last 5 years and give the amount paid out to meet compensation claims over the same time period. The numbers for Cambridgeshire are £10.7 and 2.9 million respectively. That’s a ratio of 0.27. Each of Cambridgeshire’s neighbouring counties have ratios below 0.10 suggesting that either Cambridgeshire spends too little on its pavements or too much on compensation. Chances are it’s a combination of both.

Sue says: ‘Badly maintained pavements are dangerous for all people although its the old who are most vulnerable. People use the pavements to get to local shops, to walk to school and generally to get exercise. If they are not well maintained they will not be used.’

‘Too many of our pavements are uneven, have potholes or are, in some other way, breaking up. It’s a false economy not to maintain them properly.