Wirral residents brand estate pavement as 'death trap'

The pavement that leads from Eastham Village to Rivacre Road has been branded “diabolical and dangerous” by people living in the area as overgrown grass and trees are forcing people to walk on the road.

Resident Nicola Britnell, who lives off Rivacre Road, said she first reported the issues to Wirral Council in November 2022 but says residents are still suffering from the “severe problems” on the estate.

Saplings can be seen in the tarmac (Image: Nicola Britnell)

She said: “It cannot be walked on at all. After years of complaining, the council put weed killer down, but the paths are still so overgrown you have to walk in the road and if anyone knows Rivacre Road it is dubbed the Silverstone of the North.

“It’s a very fast running road with cars and motorbikes.

“Our little estate has been banging on for years about clearing the pavement properly but no one will listen because there’s only 22 of us in this section of the road.

“My biggest concern is the pavement - it's so overgrown with grass, trees and bits of hedging - there is also a lot of saplings that are just in the tarmac.

Rivacre Road looking towards Eastham Village (Image: Phil Gilchrist)

“It is genuinely a death trap, you cannot walk on the pavement you have to walk in the road which itself is dangerous.

“We have young families on our estates and they can’t walk to Eastham village anymore.”

As well as overgrown foliage, Nicola says flooding on the estate is also an issue.

She said: “Our drain water gullies are full to the top so our estate constantly floods when there’s heavy rain which has caused erosion to our roads as well but the council will not adopt our estate as apparently the roads aren’t wide enough.

The pavement is covered by overgrown bushes (Image: Nicola Britnell)

“It's ironic that it is an offence to allow water to run from private property onto a highway but the Wirral and Cheshire councils and United utilities can ignore water and debris that pours onto our private estate every time we have even slight rainfall.

“Whilst we have had several people out to look at the flooding, as I say other than weed killer, nothing is getting done, and has been ongoing since November 2022. 

“I am a Director of Hooton Park Residents, which is our little estate, and I just want our pavement clearing on the road so that's its safe and the drains to be sorted out, as it stands we are potentially as an estate having to fork out more than £20k to have our road re-surfaced due to the flooding and erosion.”

Resident Nicola Britnell, who lives off Rivacre Road, said she first reported the issues to Wirral Council in November 2022 (Image: Nicola Britnell)

Eastham Councillor and Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Phil Gilchrist, said:  “The narrow path is a real concern for residents. I have been chasing this up for some time. 

"For a mother with a pram it is a very long and risky walk along this unlit road. The hedge did get cut back after it was brought to the attention of the owner.

Overgrown grass, trees and bits of hedging can be seen blocking the pavement (Image: Nicola Britnell)

"The hedge has sprung into life again. We are now back to square one. I’ve been assured that plans  are being put together to get the grass, dirt and debris off the path.

"There is, after all, still a path under there. That really ought to be made fit for walking along again.”

A Wirral Council spokesperson said: “We have taken action in response to the concerns of residents of Hooton Park about the pavement that leads from Eastham Village to their estate, but we are continuing to investigate options that would resolve the issues in a way that is sustainable and affordable in the long-term.”