Pavement blocked by scaffolding for six years

Lynda Bell has used a mobility scooter for the past year

A woman who uses a mobility scooter has spoken out about her frustration over scaffolding which has blocked a pavement for six years.

Aylesbury resident Lynda Bell, 53, said the scaffolding on High Street was highly dangerous as she was forced to go on the road.

Buckinghamshire Council said it was needed because the building was unsafe and highway users had to be protected.

It added that it shared the frustration that the pavement had been out of use for such a long time but it was working with the new owners of the building to remove the scaffolding.

The council said the scaffolding was needed to protect people using the street

Ms Bell, who suffers from arthritis, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, has been using a mobility scooter for the past year and before that a wheelchair.

She said the scaffolding on the pavement was annoying and highly dangerous as she has to travel on the road for about 20 metres as there is no dropped kerb on the other side.

She said there was sometimes delivery trucks dropping off food to the restaurants and she had to go round them as well.

Ms Bell explained: "It does annoy me. If I see people going the other way I warn them that it is there as it is not the easiest place to cross either."

She added: "Lots of people have got in touch with the council. When you go on the [council] website it says that people have already reported it."

Ms Bell said that so far she has been "lucky" not to have been hit and a few times trucks had stopped to allow her to go on the road.

The Aylesbury resident urged the council to get the scaffolding removed not just for her sake but for the new families in the area who have prams and pushchairs.

Lynda Bell said she was forced to drive her mobility scooter on the road

Steven Broadbent, Buckinghamshire Council's cabinet member for transport, said: "The council is aware of the hazardous nature of the site and has ensured that it is safe for highways users by securing scaffolding around the building.

"We share the frustration that the pavement has been out of use for such a long time and advise people to cross the road at safe crossing points to navigate the site safely.

"The council does not own the building but it is now under new ownership so we are working with them to bring about a long-term solution for the site which we hope will finally lead to the removal of the scaffolding."