Uneven Penkhull paving slabs spark postal delivery ban

[TrueBlueTerrier]

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POSTIES have been banned from delivering mail to dozens of residents – because uneven slabs outside their homes are a 'safety risk'.

Residents are having to travel three miles to the Leek Road delivery office, in Stoke, to pick up their mail because of the ban.

​Royal Mail suspended deliveries to Maryfield Walk and Rogerstone Avenue, in Penkhull on November 17 after raising health and safety fears over the unstable paving slabs.

But the ban could remain in place for months because the residents own the paths and must pay for the repairs.

One homeowner has even erected his own postbox on a neighbouring street to try to reinstate deliveries.

Royal Mail spokesman Val Bodden said: "We have temporarily suspended deliveries because of the very poor state of the pavements in the area.

"We previously raised our concerns with residents about the safety risk because the pavements are their responsibility, but to date these haven't been addressed.

"We carried out a further risk assessment last week and the paving clearly posed a safety risk.

"Our delivery staff have been injured in very similar circumstances and as we have a duty of care we are not prepared to compromise on safety.

"We are keen to resume deliveries to these addresses as soon as improvements are made to the pavements." Residents have been stunned by the postal deliveries ban.

Their properties were built around 28 years ago and the surrounding pavements have never been adopted. Many of the homes are now rented to leave homeowners trying to track down the landlords to see if they will pay for the repairs.

Jean Rodgers, aged 83, of Maryfield Walk, said: "Nobody is repairing the paving stones and all the while, they're getting worse. I'm expecting letters from the hospital so I've had to ask a lady around the corner to pick up my post for me. I've been here 26 years and we've never had any trouble before.

"If I can manage the flagstones, I'm sure the postman can."

Dave Oldfield, aged 69, of Maryfield Walk, who has lived at his property for 28 years, said: "Nothing has been done to the paving slabs because some of the property owners rent their houses so it is difficult to find out who they are.

"It will be down to a few people who live here and own their properties to do something and it will be too expensive.

"I have put a postbox on the other side of my house away from the slabs and asked a manager if they can put any post in there and I am waiting for an answer. I always said we would have problems with the walkways."

Neighbour Tony Hazelhurst, aged 46, added: "I don't want to spend my money on flagstones. I don't mind going to Leek Road for my mail but if I was a pensioner I would be put out. This is a big catchment area for nurses and schools and people don't live here long."

The affected residents are being urged to check their property deeds or consult the Land Registry.

Pete Price, Stoke-on-Trent City Council's assistant director for technical services, said: "It is the responsibility of the landowner to ensure the roads and pavements are maintained to a safe standard."

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Typical Daily Wail rant is available if you want to read it at http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... xcuse.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DGP1]

I don't understand why people have a problem, they have broken the flagstones and they need to be fixed, it's not our fault they don't want to pay for it...........I have to pay to keep my driveway clear and safe so why don't other people.

As far as I'm concerned they shouldn't be getting their mail until such times as they fix the whole thing and the minute they let it get back into disrepair then they get their service pulled again, I'm not risking a broken ankle/knee/leg/wrist/arm and getting sacked just because people are too tight and lazy to fix an identified problem.

[DGP1]

As for the DM comments..........who cares about them, they love to complain that they don't need us and then complain when we don't turn up.