A SHOPOWNER has blasted council leaders for repair work which he claims is making a city street unsafe.
Stewart Tattersall, owner of Dee Sport, says repair work in Brook Street, Chester, may have improved the appearance of the area, but it has also created several safety hazards.
The recently completed scheme, part of the Chester Renaissance Public Work Phase 1, involved widening the pavement to make the street more “pedestrian friendly”.
However, Mr Tattersall, who campaigned against the plans along with many other traders and residents, said the new pavement, which is about twice as wide as the previous one, has been built sloping downwards which could cause multiple problems from flooding to falls.
He said: “The angle of the new pavement is so steep. I have never seen anything like that. In the winter that could be a trap if it is covered in ice or snow. The reason they did that, as I understand it, is if they had wanted to keep it all flat they would have had to change the road which would have cost a lot more money. If they had made the pavement a little shorter they probably could have avoided that problem.
In addition, he was unhappy about an area of the pavement which juts outward at the corner of Charles Street and Brook Street, narrowing the street.
“This device takes away two or three car parking spaces. I think it is completely unnecessary as I cannot think of any reason the council would put that here. I know there are a lot of traders who are upset about these things and think the situation is going to create hazards for us.”
Cheshire West and Chester Council spokesman Laura Johnson said the section of the pavement which angled outwards was very important as it helped larger vehicles make a left turn from Charles Street.
She said: “That area has previously been used as a waiting area, which would have prevented larger vehicles from making a left turn. We had to put something there to ensure vehicles would be able to turn left safely out of Charles Street.”