I live just outside a large town, outside the countryside, and I like to walk. I find it really upsetting and inconvenient that the local footpath running next to the busy road near my house is so poorly maintained that it cannot be used. The surface has been destroyed by weeds growing up through it and the verges are cut once per year. In that 2-3 week window of short grass it is actually usable.
I've complained, I've twittered, the neighbours have joined in, we even paid for a solicitor to write a letter pointing out they could be liable should someone be injured due to having to walk on the road. Nothing but nothing will persuade the local authority roads department to even cut the grass more often. I cut the bit next to the end of my drive myself, but theres not a lot you can do with 15 metres of footpath. Its an area popular with tourists and has some nice walking routes, but its so rare to see a walker - they would need to be dropped off in a car to be safe!
Its also covered in litter. I do go out regularly and pick it up, which is a miserable task.
Yet £15 million is being spent on a new leisure centre to replace the really rather nice and modern existing sport centre with exactly the same facilities as before.
In the last place I lived in before this, there wasn't even a footpath. It was a busy area, with new housing estates being built all over the place and a new supermarket and two hotels 500m from each other. Regular sight of guests at the hotel trudging along in the mud at the verge of the busy A road to get to the supermarket.
Why is the basic provision of public services so bad, or is it just my local area?