A FRUSTRATED pensioner is still waiting for a barrier which protects her home from a busy road to be fixed...six months after it was destroyed by joyriders.

Barbara Lucas, 79, of Knightswick Road, Canvey, is desperate for repair work to be carried out on iron street railings which were damaged after joyriders in a blue Vauxhall Astra smashed into it in October.

The railing bore the brunt of the crash, however the crash knocked over wooden fencing separating her house from the main road.

Last week, the Echo revealed Essex Highways had also failed to fix railings in Somnes Avenue, which were destroyed during a police chase.

Unhappy councillors believe the wrecked Somnes Avenue railings pose a danger to the public as they poke out into the road.

Mrs Lucas says she is disappointed with Essex County Council’s failure to fix the iron railing by her home, as it means she cannot start work on replacing the wooden fencing.

She said: “Enough is enough, and I am taking the matter to the ombudsman now.

“I see the council who visit it regularly, but they haven’t done anything at all. Each time I am told ‘next week’ or ‘two months’ and nothing has been done.

“It must cost them a fortune to keep coming out, I wonder why they can’t just spend a few hours there and get it fixed.”

Mrs Lucas added that Knightswick Road is one of the island’s busiest routes and that temporary orange barriers placed there, fail to protect her home.

She said: “It’s a very busy part of Canvey and was a cul-de-sac for a long time, until it was opened up for the one way system.

“They’ve put the orange barriers there, but whenever it’s a windy day, they just blow over and it doesn’t offer enough protection.

“If I did ever want to the sell the place, who would want to buy it knowing this is something that can happen.”

John Payne, Canvey Independent candidate for North ward, says he has been chasing for work to be done by the county council along with the ward’s outgoing councillor, Martin Tucker.

He said: “It really isn’t acceptable that she has to wait that long for something to be done.

“At the moment there is nothing to stop a similar incident happening and her house being struck."

Ray Howard, Tory deputy county councillor for highways, says he is frustrated at the lack of action.

He said: “Mrs Lucas has every right to complain, and it’s time something was done about it.

“I understand temporary barriers have been put there, but they aren’t going to offer adequate protection on one of Canvey’s busiest roads.

“I will certainly be bringing this up at the highways board meeting next week.

"Hopefully we'll be able to get some work done as soon as possible.”

Other candidates standing in North ward are Daniel Frost (Ukip), David Manclark (Con) and Sonia Mutch (Labour).