EMERGENCY services are being delayed by narrow roads on Brookfield estate, claim residents.

They say parked cars are stopping ambulances, fire engines and buses gaining access to the estate.

Only this week fire fighters called to Garsdale Road were prevented from getting to the blaze because of the number of parked cars.

And in another incident, a school minibus was stranded on a grass verge for three hours after getting stuck as it tried to pass parked cars.

But according to mum-of-four Mrs Barbara Smith whose son was on the minibus at the time, it isn't the residents' fault.

She said: "People leave their cars on the road outside their homes as there is nowhere else to park, but the roads are too narrow for any other vehicles to pass. It happens all the time. Vehicles get stuck on the grass; dustbin men aren't collecting the rubbish as they can't get through. And larger vehicles like fire engines don't stand a chance. The roads need to be widened considerably."

Making roads safer is the job of LCC's cycling officer Mike Atkins. But he said Garsdale Road didn't qualify for cash under the small improvements scheme because it wasn't a serious danger to road users.

And councillor Jonathan Saksena who represents Brookfield ward added: "We have been trying to do something about the problem for many years but finance has always been an issue."

He added Brookfield was currently the subject of proposals for improvements and said: "If the money is available I think the roads on the estate have a high chance of being improved this year."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.