Alleyway on Nutgrove Road is 'accident waiting to happen'

The gated alleyway behind Nutgrove Road had been full of dumped rubbish for several months, residents say.

They say it also has an “uneven dangerous surface” and has been described as “an accident waiting to happen”.

St Helens Council said that it last week made a visit to the site to remove the waste but that “limited revenue funding” means it must focus on parts of the highway network “in most urgent need of repair”.

The alleyway

Resident Lee Weatherilt, said: “It is full of fly-tipped rubbish, has a dangerous, uneven cobbled surface that is covered in vegetation and all we have asked for is the rubbish and vegetation to be removed

“The surface is substandard for myself and a few other neighbours wish to use the alleyway for its intended purpose and this will in turn prevent us from using our diesel vehicles and reduce our carbon footprint, as we are motorbike riders. The alleyway being unlit and the cobbles covered in weeds makes this idea impossible at the moment.

“A heavy motorcycle on weed covered cobbles doesn’t work and in itself is a danger to us as riders and also our property getting damaged.”

Residents say the surface is "an accident waiting to happen"

Lee, 42, added: “A lot of the residents in this row , are either elderly or disabled, two of my neighbours both use mobility scooters and at this moment in time are unable to do so, as the alleyway won’t allow them access. This means they are having to use taxis to get around as walking is no longer an option for them.
“All residents have to get their bins up and down this alley of hazards

Lee described the alleyway as “an accident waiting to happen” saying “it’s just waiting for someone to trip and fall”.

The local authority said that due to limited funding it must prioritise parts of the highway network “in most urgent need of repair”. The council added the alleyway has been added to “a list of potential schemes in our future highway maintenance programme”.

Cllr Andy Bowden, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “Officers visited this site last week to remove the fly-tipped waste, treat weeds and invasive plants and check the surface for any repairable defects. 

“While we do understand the request for resurfacing, unfortunately with our limited revenue funding we must focus on those parts of the highway network that are in most urgent need of repair. Our regular highway inspections help to prioritise the most urgent works, but we have added the location to a list of potential schemes in our future highway maintenance programme." 

Cllr Bowden

He added: “Fly-tipping is a crime. It won’t be tolerated in our borough and our officers work exceptionally hard to combat it. But as residents we also have a responsibility to dispose of waste appropriately and legally. 

“We’d urge anyone who finds tipped waste or who sees waste being dumped to contact the council as soon as possible, noting key details like vehicle registrations, a description of the tipper, and where and when it happened, so that we can hold those responsible to account.” 

Fly-tipping can be reported it to the council online at www.sthelens.gov.uk/report-it or call 01744 676789.   

For more information visit www.sthelens.gov.uk/flytipping  

Residents can arrange to have their bulky rubbish collected by the council. Find out more or book a collection online at www.sthelens.gov.uk/bulkyrubbish.