Once again I read on social media of someone falling whilst walking on Romsey pavements, I do not know details of this incident but do believe occurrences are increasing.

I know individual councillors keep drawing attention to the problem and I understand that Hampshire County Council have budget constraints but we do need to see problems resolved rather than just discussed.

In 2014 when I became the town centre manager, the pavements in the town centre were inspected once a month and repairs undertaken quickly where a fault was considered a safety hazard. I could also request an emergency repair through an informal arrangement with the local highway manager. Although not a perfect system, these services have been lost, I assume to save money.

However, quite apart from the pain and distress caused to individuals that do trip on faulty pavements there is a cost to emergency services that are often called and to NHS who have to repair broken bodies.

Can I suggest that in terms of cost to public purse, filled with our taxes, it makes economic sense to repair pavements before people trip and fall?

If need be the current broken paved areas should be lifted and replaced with a suitable consistent surface, with ageing infrastructure under pavements we must expect need for emergency repairs, with an appropriate surface this issue can be managed easier and in a non-hazardous manner.

Mark Edgerley,
Retired Romsey town centre manager
Northlands Road, 
Romsey