Northampton pensioners speak out about 'dangerous' paving slabs and vow never to vote Conservative again

A Northampton pensioner, aged 72, has said she will never vote Conservative again after the council has failed to make dangerous paving slabs and potholes in her area safe.

Jean Linekar, of Drywell Court in Riverside, has slammed West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) and the now defunct Northampton Borough Council for not maintaining the roads and pavements over the years.

The pensioner says she cannot even leave her house to walk to the shop without fears of falling and hurting herself.

She said: "All over Riverside has been neglected for too long. I can't even walk down the shop without falling over. It's been going on for ages. Councillor Phil Larratt [in charge of highways and environment at WNC] does know about it.

"I'm annoyed and upset. The alleyways are terrible, there are no drop curbs anywhere, there are no paths to walk on at the top of the road, there are stairs to walk up, steps that I can't get up. There are a lot of disabled people here.

"My quality of living has gone down. It affects my day to day by not being able to walk up to the shops or to my friends. I have to get a taxi to go out shopping twice a week at Weston Favell, it costs me £20 in total. I would walk but the paving slabs are that bad I can't do that.

"It's all over Riverside. They've not been seen to for years. The council is not bothered, all it is bothered about is its budget."

Jean, a lifelong Conservative voter, said she will not vote for the Tories again because of the unresolved issues.

She said: "I've not seen my local councillors since elections. I voted conservative but no more. No more. They just don't simply care. Any of them. I'm now an Independent. I love Julie Davenport [of the Far Cotton ward], she's great at what she does, I just wish we had councillors like that. I'm so upset about this.

"I want the council to make all paving slabs and potholes all around Riverside, get them sorted. I want the people to have a safe area to live in."

Carol Noon, Jean's neighbour, said: "We can't walk to the shops because the pavement is like this wherever you go. It's ridiculous."

Other passersby in the area stopped to speak with Chronicle and Echo, who said the situation was “absolutely ridiculous” and that they “don't dare walk around here in the dark”.

Since this newspaper raised the issue with WNC, Jean says a meeting with Councillor Larratt and authorities has been arranged Tuesday (June 14) at 2pm.

Conservative councillor Stephen Hibbert, of the Riverside ward, has been contacted for comment.

WNC has also been contacted for comment.