HOMEOWNERS have slammed their council for carrying out “awful” road improvements which have turned their street into a “health hazard”.
They claim the work at the Grove Estate in Withington, south Manchester, has made the surfaces worse not better – with kids now unable to roller skate outside because it’s so bad.
Homeowners are fuming after their roads were resurfaced ‘for no reason’ leaving them worse than before[/caption]
The roads were treated with micro asphalt – a waterproof surface supposed to prevent further degradation.
But residents have complained the resurfacing as left “loose gravel” all over the place, as well as holes in the road and bumps which cause people to trip.
Retired headteacher Barry Chalmers, 73, described the supposed upgrade as “completely unnecessary”.
He said: “I just don’t know what they were thinking.
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“The pavements need improving not the roads.
“People were walking in the roads as the pavements are so bad.”
Trevor Matthews, 65, also a former teacher, added: “One of our neighbours who is 73 tripped on the road and fell.
“She was not badly hurt but it shows what a mess they have made of the road.
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“The roads are now just awful and we just don’t understand why the council have done it.”
Children now can’t play outside on the tarmac due to its “dangerous” condition.
One mum said: “They needed to sort out the pavements not the roads.
“Kids used to play in the pavements but it is so dangerous.
“They would scoot or roller skate but that is impossible.”
IT worker Dan Rothchild, 46, who also lives in one of the terraced houses on the smart row, agreed.
“It is lethal around here,” he said.
“The council has wasted a lot of money doing this which has made it worse not better.
“It is outrageous.”
‘APPALLING’
And Bruce Munro, 45, added that council contractors had done such a shoddy job they even tarmacked around his car.
He said: “The have made a right mess of the roads around the place.
“The communication with us residents has been appalling.
“They have come in to try and rectify it and done a hotch-potch of resurfacing.
“They even tarmaced around my car.”
Manchester City Council ordered the work to be carried out in February and officials have attempted to make improvements after several complaints.
A spokesperson said: “The works which were carried out were part of a programme of planned improvements in the area.
“In the areas where works were carried out the roads were in a condition known as ‘mid-life state’ where they had begun to degrade, but had not degraded to a level where a complete re-surface would be required.
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“Treatment of the roads with micro asphalt provides a waterproof surface to prevent further degradation of the road, as well as providing better skid resistance on worn or polished road surfaces.”
The Sun has contacted contractor who carried out the work for comment.
Parents no longer let their kids roller skate outside as it’s ‘so dangerous’[/caption]
Bruce Munro with a patch of tarmac which went around his parked car[/caption]
One resident described the council’s communication with locals as ‘appalling’[/caption]
Barry Chalmers and Trevor Matthews who live on one of the affected streets[/caption]
Manchester City Council ordered the work to be carried out in February[/caption]
One local said the results were ‘outrageous’[/caption]
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