INCREASING numbers of public complaints about the state of Lancaster's pavements has prompted the city council to make a statement.

The City's chief engineer, Jim Robson, says steady reductions in highway funding meant there was not enough money to ensure all pavements were fully maintained.

But he said the downward funding spiral had bottomed out and there may be more money available in the future enabling work to commence this year on reflagging Rosemary Lane and part of Church Street and Market Street.

Mr Robson said: "In Lancaster, there are also constraints arising from the need to maintain pavements in materials that meet the city centre's conservation area status. These materials are more expensive and are prone to further damage by over running vehicles. However in recent years, the City Council has been targeting highway spending to improve pavements regularly damaged by vehicles by replacing standard flags with smaller flags, designed to resist damage or installing bollards.

He added: "The flagged surface in Lancaster pedestrian zone is now 30 years old and in need of considerable investment to bring it to the same condition as the recently completed pedestrianisation schemes in Church Street and Upper Penny Street. The City Council has recognised the need for this investment and will be identifying suitable funding arrangements. In the meantime, the Council has adopted a policy to remove individual flags as they become dangerous and replace them with tarmac in the short term until the road can be closed to allow durable repair to be carried out."