'An accident waiting to happen': Peterborough man launches campaign to clean up the city's filthiest parkways

A Peterborough resident has vowed that enough is enough in when it comes to the state of Peterborough’s ‘filthy’ parkways.

Mark Fishpool has been in correspondence with the council over the last two years in an attempt to force action and get to the bottom of just who is responsible for the their cleaning and, in particular, the A47.

He said: “My campaign is to get the A47 and our parkway systems fully cleaned properly so visitors to our city or just drivers passing through on our road systems get a first impression of a clean and well cared for place.

“Something needs doing about this problem urgently.

"They are covered in gravel, muck and dirt and are really unsafe for motorcycle, scooter and moped riders, there are damaged road drainage gullies, which can cause flooding and there is abandoned road signage, old road cones, contractors waste and other muck all around.

"In many places, it is an accident waiting to happen.”

Among the locations on the A47 Mark has singled out as lacking attention from both Highways and Peterborough City Council are the Eye Green roundabout, the White Post Road roundabout, the Welland Road roundabout and the Sutton/Upton roundabout at the end of the Castor bypass.

It is believed that responsibility for the A47should fall to the city council and by extension its provider Aragon Waste Services Ltd, however, this has now always been clear.

Mark added: “It seems that neither the city council nor Highways England took advantage of road closures over the last 12 months to clean the roads at the same time.

“The Frank Perkins Parkway was closed weekday nights from 8.00pm to 6.00am for over a month for barrier repairs. No opportunity to clean the Parkway at the same time was taken.

“The A47 had lane closures at Bretton for nearly 18 months. No opportunity to clean the parkway was taken.

“The A47 near Paston had overnight lane closures recently. No opportunity to clean the parkway was taken.

*Gutter lines running along the parkway system are full of all manner of debris, drains are blocked and the central reservations are full of all manner of debris .

“The A47 Eye Bypass has a hidden and buried concrete kerb line due to grass, soil and debris build up along its whole length from Eye Green roundabout to White Post Road roundabout. Drainage channels can not be seen.

“Welland Road roundabout has broken and blocked drainage kerbs, causing flooding.”

“I have asked before for various city council leaders to conduct an inquiry into the efficient running of Aragon Waste Services but my requests were refused

"Thousands use the A47 daily and see the filthy condition it is in, we do not want Peterborough to become known as the rubbish city. It is not a good look and we need to restore some pride.”

The Peterborough Telegraph has contacted Peterborough City Council for comment.