'˜Potholed path is giving us '˜nightmares

Vulnerable tenants are at their wits' end over a '¨disputed pathway.

Tenants at The Avenue in Stotfold have only one access to their front doors.

But they say the footpath which covers the row of flats, is potholed and dangerous to people with limited mobility.

Dob Newall, who is registered blind, says they have been complaining for years about the state of the path but neither Aragon Housing, who owns the buildings, Central Bedfordshire Council who used to own the buildings and Anglian Water is admitting ownership of the path.

Mrs Newall, aged 81, has lived in the flats for more than 30 years. She moved to a ground floor flat 20 years ago when her husband, who has since died, became less mobile.

“The path is causing the problem,” she said. “It’s very uneven. Even if you complain to Aragon no-one comes to look, nothing is their problem.

“Everything up here now is crazy, I just sit and cry.”

Malcolm Hunt, whose wife is in a wheelchair, said: “It’s a nightmare. It took two years to fill a hole.

“No-one comes back to finish anything.

“Everything is a joke.”

Mr Hunt currently has bollards outside his flat after water started pouring out of a manhole cover more than three weeks ago.

He says Anglian Water fixed the leak but he was told the repairs to the path would be Aragon Housing.

A spokesman for Aragon Hosuing said while a pathway at the side of the flats next to flat 31 was the housing association’s responsibility, Central Bedfordshire Council had ownership of the path to the flats’ front doors.

A spokesman for Central Beds Council said the pavements had been found to be the council’s responsibility and that they “will be checking/repairing them as a matter of urgency.”