Disabled Formby resident gets great Christmas news from Cllr Dutton

A Formby man who is a WHEELCHAIR-BOUND amputee has been pleading to Sefton Council for the kerbs in the roads near his home to be dropped, claiming he is regularly stranded for up to an hour in all weather conditions. Mr Smith has been relying on the good will of passers-by to help him mount the pavement or otherwise risking his life driving his electric wheelchair along the road until he reaches another drop kerb.

Living on Brows Lane, Mr Smith leaves his home to go out down Freshfield Road but, cannot cross the road for the length of Freshfield Road due to there not being any dropped kerbs. This means that he has to come off the drop kerb outside his home on Brows Lane and effectively drive in his wheelchair along the roads until he comes to a dropped kerb which is some few hundred meters away. If he drives along the pavement to Freshfield Road, he cannot get across the road.

This means when returning home from visiting friends, Mr Smith is left stranded on the road waiting for a car to stop and help or for a neighbour to pass by. He has been asking Sefton Council to drop the kerb for almost a year. He was told that a councillor would come and see him to discuss this but no-one has ever turned up.

Mr Smith who is 81-years-old said: "I've been trying for over a year, It's upsetting that they can’t spare a few hundred pounds to help someone in a wheelchair. It’s affecting my independence.”

Another huge problem is blocked grids. The grids have all been blocked for such a long time that flooding outside where he lives is a regular occurrence. When the road floods, Mr Smith cannot get past the floods. One night he had gone to a party and torrential rain had come down so on his way back home, he got stuck and could not get past the huge puddles. He had to wait in the rain for a car to stop and help him.

Formby Bubble contacted local Cllr Denise Dutton who is the Harington Conservative Party Leader of the Conservative Group, who was only too happy to get involved to help Mr Smith. Cllr Dutton contacted the right department and after meetings and consultations, has now confirmed that dropped kerbs/tactile paving will be installed along the length of Freshfield Road within the current financial year. This is fantastic news for Mr Smith!

Cllr Dutton said: "In relation to the blocked grids that were pointed out to me, I have asked Sefton Council to have them fully cleansed together with the one on St. Lukes Church Road just before Squirrel Walk."

Cllr Dutton went on to say: "There was also extreme flooding last week on Victoria Rd from Tower End past Badgers Rake which I had sorted within an hour of the complaint being received."

Cllr Dutton went on to say: "As a follow on, Tower End has had some further works carried out as tree roots were found to be blocking the drains and have had to be removed. Cameras have been used to further check the drains and the results of that footage were being sent through to Sefton's drainage section following completion of the days works."

This is fantastic news for Mr Smith and we will let you know as soon as the works are done by Sefton Council. Thanks Cllr Dutton!