A temporary fix to repair a pavement damaged by lorries has left it "unusable" for 18 months.
The stretch of footpath where Warren Field joins Charles Street in Epping was damaged by large lorries reversing over it when they entered or left a building site.
The surface was replaced with a mixture of gravel and dust, but resident David Conlan, who has lived in Warren Field road with his wife since 1977, believes it is a safety hazard and has been calling on Essex County Council to change it for 18 months.
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Mr Conlan said: “Lorries were delivering things like cement to the building site, and they started coming up onto the pavement and it was not meant for that heavy weight.
“The pavement got worse and worse. It became ridiculous.
“After a while, a lorry turned up and dumped hoggin (a mixture of clay, gravel, and sand or granite dust) there, but it is unusable, you can’t walk on it.
“This was 18 months ago.”
For Mr Conlan, the gravel-like surface could be dangerous to some people.
He said: “My wife and I are OK, we do lots of walking.
“But for some people, who might be elderly, or someone with a pram, it is unusable.
“Imagine if someone has a twisted ankle and they were to walk on that, they could end up doing more damage because of sharp edges on the stone.
“The health and safety aspect of this is my biggest gripe.”
Mr Conlan said he has also contacted the council to find out when a permanent surface will be introduced to the footpath, but he said he has not had a reply.
A spokesperson for Essex Highways said: “A ‘make safe’ was carried out on this footpath at the beginning of September.
“This is a temporary repair we carry out to maintain an area while a permanent fix is programmed.
“We have now requested STAT plans, which allow us to be aware of what utilities are in an area before we excavate.
“Once we have received these, we can raise a job to make the permanent fix.”
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