Pavements repair costs put at £47m

The cost of repairing crumbling footpaths and pavements in the Wyre Forest and Worcestershire has been estimated at £47 million, it emerged today.

Half of all the footways across the region are in need of urgent repairs.

The shock cost comes on top of the costly bill needed to mend pot-hole filled roads in the area. Poor maintenance for both roads and footways has been blamed on budget cutbacks and efficiencies over several years.

Worcestershire County Council currently earmarks £2 million bill each year for maintenance of footways and councillors have been told that £5.8 million-a-year was needed just to halt any further deterioration.

Councillor Liz Tucker, a Liberal Democrat member of Worcestershire County Council, has now called for "urgent action".

She said: "We have faced problems with deteriorating road maintenance and were told the cost of repairs would be £70 million.

"Councillors agreed to borrow capital funds so that an extra £15 million was available to carry out repairs to estate roads. Although I am pleased with the £15 million improvement programme for roads I do think a similar approach is needed towards the maintenance of footways."

Derek Prodger, the Conservative cabinet member responsible for highways, said that he accepted the £47 million figure and "felt a review of spending on footpaths was needed".