Glasgow pensioner demands clean-up of danger 'lifeline' path

Margaret Cowie, 71, says she has become a prisoner in her own property after a key route to the nearest bus stop became impassable due to its cracked, rutted and unkept surface and surroundings.

The path has also been turned into a dumping ground with burnt out tyres, broken furniture, glass and abandoned shopping trolleys scattered along its length.

The pensioner says the lane from her home in Scalpay Street to Liddesdale Road in Milton has become unusable to the visually impaired and disabled due to a lack of maintenance by the council.

The pair try to navigate the path (Image: Gordon Terris)

She told the Glasgow Times: "A lot of people rely on that walkway to get to the bus stop. It is a lifeline for many of the elderly around here and right now we are all scared to use it because of the state it is in.

"The surface is ridden with trip hazards, there is moss everywhere and there are branches poking out into your path that someone like me with sight problems just can't see. It could easily cause someone to take a bad tumble. 

"There is another lane a bit further along Scalpay Street, but that is just as bad to be honest, using that as an alternative route to the bus stop in Liddesdale Road just isn't an option."

The path has become almost impassable says Margaret (Image: Gordon Terris)

Margaret has challenged the council to step up and get the route in order before winter bites.

She says she no longer has the confidence to go out on her own and relies on the help of friend and sight-guide Brian West if she needs to travel.

Brian added: “This lane is difficult enough for me to navigate. It is a wonder nobody has been injured and hopefully this story will at least make those using it as a dumping ground think twice. It is a disgrace it has been allowed to fall into this state.”

She added: "It's bad enough in the summer, but towards the end and turn of the year it is downright dangerous. It is not being properly maintained and I've complained about it without anything being done."

The path has become a dumping ground (Image: Gordon Terris)

The angry pensioner has now contacted Councillor Robert Mooney in a bid to have the matter resolved.

The councillor is a long-standing campaigner for the blind, being partially-sighted himself. He says that more needs to be done to make the city more accessible and safer for the visually impaired.

He said: "What Margaret is facing sadly isn't a one-off. There are people like her all across Glasgow finding it increasingly difficult to navigate their way around.

"Cycle lanes are popping up everywhere, floating bus stops, tree planting, all of these things make it very difficult for a blind person to get to know a route and feel safe travelling it. Margaret has totally lost her confidence to go out without a sighted guide - and she is not alone."

Overgrown patches of grass and moss have made the path treacherous to walk on (Image: Gordon Terris)

Margaret added: "Glasgow city centre is bad enough, going into the town now with all the cycle lanes, trees in the middle of main shopping fares, but when you can't get around safely in your own neighbourhood, that's not on."

After the Glasgow Times chased the council for a resolution, two workmen turned up on Friday and began clearing the mess. They left however before the clean-up was completed.

Council workers appeared to try and clear the path after our enquiry. (Image: Gordon Terris)

A spokesperson for Glasgow City Council says that the local authority will look at what repairs and further action is required.

They added: “We are sorry to hear of the resident’s difficulties on this path.

“We have recently undertaken work on this path to cut back vegetation to make it easier to pass along. The path has also been assessed by our roads team and repairs have been earmarked for this location.

"We will continue to monitor this area and undertake any maintenance as necessary."