A PAVEMENT in Colchester is so dangerously lopsided residents cross the road to avoid it.

Abbie Chambers, 34, who uses a wheelchair, said she would topple over if she tried to tackle the severe slope in Berechurch Road.

She is being backed by Brenda Bowering, who broke her wrist in six places slipping on the incline.

Mrs Chambers said: “I can’t use it. I have to go into the road or go different ways.

“It is awful and I can’t believe they won’t fix it.

Essex County Council is spending millions of pounds improving the road, but the pavement near the junction with Circular Road South is not part of the work.

Mrs Bowering, of Britannia Mews, said: “The elderly with zimmer frames have to walk in the road and in winter it is positively lethal.

“I broke my wrist on the ice in January. They say it is fit for purpose, but what purpose! You can’t walk on it.”

Nicola Evans has to try and negotiate the slope with a double pram carrying Thomas, three, and Jack, one.

She said: “It is horrendous. I have to tilt the pram up on two wheels and worry about going into the road with all the cars going past. I can’t believe they won’t sort it when they are spending so much and closing the road for so long at the other end.”

Dave Harris, county councillor for Colchester’s Maypole ward, has campaigned for improvements to the pavement for almost a year, but his calls have been repeatedly rejected by the council. He said: “It wouldn’t take much to fix, but is causing a lot of problems and I have had a lot of complaints about it.

“Three times I have gone to Rodney Bass, councillor responsible for highways, and three times my requests have been rejected.”

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “An Essex highways inspector carried out a robust risk assessment on August 22.

“At that time the defect did not meet the criteria for immediate intervention due to a number of factors including the positioning of the defect which is not in the immediate walking line for pedestrians.

“In response to the concern raised by the local councillor and residents, an inspector will be visiting the location in the next five days to reassess the location to determine if any potential repairs need to be carried out.”