Unadopted roads facing darkness on Canvey

They spoke out after it emerged the county council will also no longer pay to replace street lights.

The Echo spoke to George Whatley, 76, of Limburg Road last month about his struggles pushing his wife, Shirley’s, wheelchair across an unadopted section of the road.

Now, he will face the battle in pitch black darkness with Essex County Council no longer paying for street light bulb replacements in such roads.

Dave Blackwell, Essex County Councillor for Canvey, revealed at this week’s Canvey Town Council meeting, Essex County will no longer replace light builds in lamp posts in unadopted roads, adding there are 30 to 40 unadopted roads on the island.

Limburg Road is divided in two, with part of the road managed by Essex County Council, and the second half unadopted.

An unadopted road is a road not managed by a local authority, meaning Essex County Council is not required to make any repairs.

Mr Whatley said: “Its all saving money and cuts on top of cuts on top of cuts and we are being forgotten.

“We are being actively ignored and it is getting too much for us.

“They are simply saying it is not our problem, but whose problem is it? I guess it falls on our pockets as residents.

“I am 76, my wife is 80, and we are just being ignored.

“It is a huge problem and they will not do anything about it.”

Mr Whatley added: “We have enough our own issues, we can barely walk down the road without being caught out by potholes, now we are supposed to navigate the road in the dark.

“It has got beyond a joke now, it is a pantomime.”

Mr Blackwell branded the county council’s decision as “ridiculous”.

He said: “Essex County Council is now refusing to pay for replacement bulbs in street lights in unadopted roads. It is ridiculous.

“When I spoke to the cabinet member, he said how can you expect us to waste public money on these streets, but these residents still pay council tax.

“There are 30 to 40 unadopted roads on Canvey now, and they will not have street lights.”