A furious Brent resident has slammed her council for “neglecting” the “dangerous” pavement outside her home she says had not been repaired properly in almost 50 years.
Alison Hopkins, who moved to Humber Road in Dollis Hill in 1976, said she had never seen Brent Council fix the footpaths on her road.
She said she and her neighbours had urged the local authority to act numerous times and sort out the uneven walkways.
Alison said it is a matter of time before someone is injured negotiating the path, particularly as the road leads down a steep hill.
She said: “We feel as if we have been totally neglected by the council, despite a long history of reporting serious issues along the entire road.
“It’s a joke, really. Things have been left for 20, 30, 40 years without anyone doing anything.
“If you have mobility or sight issues, there’s a real chance you could trip at a number of points along the road.”
A visit by the Local Democracy Reporting Service found several loose manhole covers, significantly damaged kerbs and broken paving slabs raised by tree roots.
One section had completely eroded to leave loose gravel, which could force wheelchair users and those with prams onto the road.
Former councillor Alison said residents felt they are deemed unimportant compared to other areas of Brent.
It comes as the council recently championed its repaving of several footpaths in Wembley using funds from the Government’s Covid-19 recovery fund.
Alison said: “We’ve been told not many people use these roads because it’s all industrial. But you’ve got the Edgware Road at the bottom, [Chinese supermarket] Wing Yip, and loads more shops.
“And it’s not just our road, it leads to a neighbourhood with probably around 1,000 people who might all travel down it.”
She added the council had got its priorities wrong, choosing to focus on “vanity projects” rather than smaller things that would have a genuine positive impact on local residents.
She said: “They talk about building massive tower blocks not far away, new homes for Brent residents and so on, but you’ve got to get the basics right.
“Fix the traffic lights, sort the pavements, do the things which make a day-to-day difference to your residents.”
Cllr Krupa Sheth, Brent's Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "Since 2019, the council has invested £20m in improving footways, which has resulted in 45 miles of new and enhanced footways across the borough.
"As a result, the length of footways requiring major maintenance has significantly reduced.
"Every year, officers assess the highway network to determine its current condition and decide which areas are prioritised for maintenance."
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