Councillor blasts 'shambolic' paving in Wolverhampton's multi-million pedestrian zone
A senior councillor has lambasted the 'shambolic' state of reinstatement work to a paved area of Wolverhampton city centre.
Councillor Simon Bennett, leader of the city's opposition Conservative group, said he was appalled by the standard of workmanship after Victoria Street was dug up for essential maintenance work.
He said the poorly laid slabs did little for the appearance of the city at a time when £19 million was being spent on a pavement-focused regeneration scheme to make the area more attractive to visitors.
Victoria Street itself was repaved just over two years ago as part of a separate £15.7 million pedestrianisation scheme in the city.
However, the cabinet member in charge of public works in the city, Councillor Chris Burden, said the latest work in Victoria Street had been carried out by National Grid, and not the council. He said the company would be instructed to return and do the work again.
Councillor Bennett said the state of the workmanship in Victoria Street was 'simply not good enough'.
"It’s been left in a shambolic state after a very expensive project of pedestrianisation was completed by the council not so long ago," he said.
“It’s clear the contractors responsible for this project have not delivered the standard of work the public expects or deserves. "It’s vital that the council steps in to hold them to account, and gets them back to return the surface to the standard it had been laid in.
"Taxpayers footed the bill for this scheme through grant funding from the last Conservative Government, and they have every right to demand better."
He said Victoria Street was at the heart of a regeneration scheme that was supposed to revitalise the city centre.
"What we’ve ended up with is second-rate workmanship damaging the previously completed work, and is already drawing criticism from residents and traders alike," he added.
Councillor Bennett said council leaders had claimed the long-delayed pedestrianisation of Victoria Street would 'enable businesses to thrive and grow'.
Councillor Simkins said the work that had been carried out in Victoria Street was nothing to do with the regeneration projects that were taking place in the city.
Councillor Chris Burden, who is cabinet member for city development, said a small number of slabs had to be removed by National Grid to fix a fault following a power cut in the Mander Centre.
"National Grid reinstated the paving and will be returning to finish the job," he said.
"We will ensure they complete the work to the same high standard as the original scheme.
“This is nothing to do with the original transformation scheme that was successfully delivered and has already attracted new investment in the city, including the imminent opening of a new bowling and gaming venue on Victoria Street – boosting the leisure offer for city residents and creating jobs.
“When the necessary remedial works have been completed by National Grid electricity distribution, a council street works engineer will inspect the site to ensure the reinstatement meets the required standard.”
