A SMALL corner of Epping Forest district has fallen into such disrepair that residents believe the county council may have forgotten they exist.

For years, broken paving slabs, potholes, rusty roadsigns and faded junction lines have been part of daily life in Abridge – but now residents believe the neglect has reached dangerous levels.

Theresa Sprules, 75, from Alderwood Close, has been waiting years for the pavement outside her home to be resurfaced.

She said: “Look at the road, its appalling; they only came and did something after I tripped and hurt myself, and I’m not the only one. Everyone complains about the state of the pavements.

“When the workmen turn up they say they can only do what’s on their list. It’s taken me ten years to get this bit done so I don’t think the rest will ever be finished.”

Her neighbour Rita Blake uses a stroller and said she found the pavements tough going.

She added: “I never see any sort of street cleaning or maintenance here. I find the pavements quite bad, and the roads are full of holes. It’s very dangerous.”

Earlier this month council contractors forgot to re-paint white lines at the dangerous junction between New Farm Drive and Ongar Road.

Abridge Parish councillor John Filby said: “People drive down there at breakneck speed – it must be one of the most dangerous things I’ve ever seen.

“Now there are no road markings, they often don’t realise they should be stopping and just shoot off into the road.

“Around the corners of the Fir Trees and Pancroft Road, corner slabs have been replaced, but there are big holes in the grass behind them, it looks a total mess.

“We are told that the contractors are being paid for this work – well somebody should be inspecting it, because the quality is poor.”

He went on: “I’ve been asking the county council to send someone to clean the road signs – that’s something you wouldn’t think would be hard – but two years on and the signs are indecipherable until drivers are right on top of them. It’s just ridiculous.”

Mum Josie Rowland lives at Orchid Close, and said it was not just the older members of the community who were suffering.

She said: “The kids trip and fall over all the time, it’s like they’ve forgotten about us completely.

“We can’t even get the street cleaners to do our side of the road; they just do the private side then disappear, so we’re left with all the fag butts.

“I pay my council tax too, but my road is left in a dirty mess.”