A MAN who travels miles to visit his 94-year-old friend each week has called for action after he was twice left stuck in the mud in his mobility scooter.

David Gibson, of River Way, makes the four-mile round trip from his home to the Enham Club every Saturday for a catch-up with his friend.

To do so he must drive down the A343, Newbury Road, along which is a small crossing over Hungerford Lane.

But the pathway across the road has become caked thick with mud, he says, to the point that the route is no longer safely passable.

Now he’s urging the county council to step in and says that all he wants is for the road to be cleared and made “passable” once more.

“I go there regularly, every week, and to cross that path on the A343 you have to go through such thick mud,” he said.

“Sometimes I’ve got stuck in the middle of it. Eventually I got myself out of it, twice, but my scooter’s all thick with mud now and I can’t clean it.”

David’s only alternative would be to travel via Icknield Way – although a large stretch of that road has no public footpath and has a 60mph speed limit.

So instead he, and pedestrians, have little choice but to step into the road, which is also used by vehicles driving at the national speed limit.

He added: “It’s blooming dangerous for pedestrians too, you’ve got to get on the road to get past it.”

The retired design draughtsman says that the mud has got so bad that he can’t even make out where the curb begins and ends anymore.

He admits that the road may not be one of the busiest, but either way he has often seen people on foot chancing their luck by walking in the road to get around the mud.

He also notes that there are other scooter users who use the route from Enham and so can’t be the only one having issues.

“Enham is a place with lots of disabled people,” he added, “and I’ve seen them come down on their scooters. They must have the same problems as me, especially in the wet weather.”

The road is the responsibility of Hampshire County Council’s Highway team. David says he’s contacted them previously but is yet to hear back from the department.

Borough councillors, including Iris Andersen and Nick Matthews, have lent their support to David’s cause.

“I’ve pushed our county council to make sure it’s dealt with,” said Cllr Matthews (Conservative, Romans Ward), “so hopefully something happens soon.”

Cllr Matthews says that although the road falls outside his ward, he’s been to the scene and has seen for himself pedestrians and runners forced into the road to avoid the mud.

“I’ve actually been up there, and I’ve seen it for myself more than once,” he continued.

“David’s quite right to make the issue because it isn’t just there when it rains, it’s almost all year round and it’s very, very dangerous.

“There’s obviously drainage issues there but also with the mud there, Hampshire Highways needs to sort it out.

“He’s got a very good point and I do support him.”

The Advertiser contacted the county council to find out what is being done about the issue.

Councillor Rob Humby, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment, said that the road will be cleared by the end of the week.