Improvements to pavements in Up Hatherley next year
DANGEROUS pavements in Up Hatherley, which have seen wheelchair users resorting to using the road, could be improved.
Pedestrian walkways in Hatherley Lane, Redgrove Park and close to Asda, have proved too narrow for the disabled and parents with pushchairs.
But Gloucestershire County Council is looking at widening some of the narrow pathways in the area next year.
The extent and cost of the work is still being considered by highways bosses, but they confirmed improvements could come next spring.
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Borough councillor Jacky Fletcher (C, Benhall, The Reddings) is delighted something will finally be done after spending two years campaigning for the pavements to be widened.
She said: "They are so narrow and I have had so many complaints about them. The state of the pavements have been terrible and dangerous for wheelchair users.
"Parents have been struggling when taking a pushchair and another child to school and those using wheelchairs and mobility scooters are having to go onto the road as they won't fit on the pavement.
"It is has been a very serious problem and so I am keeping my fingers crossed that we will finally have a solution.
"It really looks like something will be done and it will be given the go-ahead. I am so excited that it is going to be done."
She said residents in Grace Gardens and Unwin Road had been among those affected by the pathway problems.
The improvements come as plans for traffic calming measures across Up Hatherley were scrapped following a lukewarm response from the community.
Proposals for speed bumps and build outs in the village were ruled out.
Gloucestershire Highways secured £600,000 to put traffic calming measures in place when permission was granted to build the Asda supermarket, which opened in September 2011.
Mrs Fletcher added: "Although the rest of the traffic calming measures for the area are not going ahead, this is something good that is happening."
Chris Riley, highways manager for Cheltenham at Shire Hall, said: "We are looking to improve the pedestrian routes between Asda and the surrounding areas.
"We will be assessing these routes before Christmas with the improvements expected to start from spring 2013.
"The work is expected to include footway widening and other general improvements and we will be working with residents to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum."
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