Time to sort out dreadful paving

I write to you regarding a key issue of concern to me as a resident in Eastbourne.

This is the state of the pavements.

I was walking with my mother just past The Buccaneer pub on route to the seafront, and just opposite the Howard Square turning, she took a sudden tumble as result of tripping on a cracked area of paving. Fortunately, she was generally unharmed, apart from needing a moment to get over the sudden shock of it.

I realise I am far from the first person to express concern. However, this example surely emphasises the need for something to be about the most dreadful areas of paving in this town where they are cracking, thus making it hazardous and unsafe for walking on in too many stretches. This applies not just to the town centre, but too many residential areas in Eastbourne.

I know that funding priorities will inevitably be raised as a constraint. However, just to give one example of a new stretch of pavement where it is much better. On the same day we walked past The Ship public house in Meads Street where there is a new area of freshly tarmacked paving. What a contrast. You do not have to look down at the surface every five seconds or so.

If the vast majority of poor paving areas were removed of unacceptably dangerous cracked paving slabs, and replaced with tarmac, surely this would be a worthwhile investment, even if this means ultimately having to replace some overgrown trees to ensure that the new tarmac is not cracked prematurely by tree roots.

To anyone in authority who is able to give serious thought to this I strongly urge them to do so. Like potholes on road surfaces, pavements really do need urgent attention.

If enough areas of old style paving slabs were replaced with fresh new tarmac, surely this would be an effective solution?

My mother was lucky when she had the fall, but for someone, particularly someone elderly and frail physically, it could have been far worse with potentially disastrous consequences.

I would like to thank the lady who very kindly stopped in her car to ask if we needed any help. Luckily, we did not. The time has now come for these pavements to be dealt with effectively before someone really is seriously hurt.