A PENSIONER has attacked Hertfordshire County Council for failing to repair a “dangerous” road crossing close to a sheltered accommodation scheme.

Les Brownsell, from Home Ley in WGC, says he has been in regular contact with Hertfordshire Highways for the past four months, asking them to fix the crossing in Peartree Lane, which has cracked, subsided and is prone to flooding.

The crossing is creating problems for his elderly neighbours, several of whom are in their 90s and have difficulty walking.

Mr Brownsell, 71, said: “I have been in contact with Highways four times and apart form a fruitless visit to stop a couple of slabs from rocking the main problem has not been addressed.

“None of the people I have spoken to at Highways seem to understand how dangerous this situation is for residents living on this scheme. The minimum age requirement here is 55 and some residents are 90 plus.

“Many residents have problems with mobility and the crossing is supposed to give them access to the doctor’s surgery, chemist and shop on the other side of the road without having to cross two lanes of traffic.

“When the crossing is full of water or even worse frozen over, even the more able bodied of us struggle. Just because we are old doesn’t mean that we are not entitled to some duty of care.”

A Herts Highways spokesman said: “We were made aware of damage to the paving in Peartree Lane and following inspections we have found that the damage has been caused by some motorists driving over part of the verge and pavement because they become impatient when faced with oncoming vehicles within the chicane traffic calming road layout. This has caused the pavement to drop and rain water collecting there as a result.

“We carried out some initial repairs to the paving, but following further investigation, we plan to install two marker posts in the verge either side of the crossing point to stop cars mounting it.

“This work should be completed by the end of March.”