A ‘DANGEROUS’ section of pavement derided as a ‘ski jump’ by residents will soon be returned to normal.

Work is currently being carried out to reinstate the original wall and pavement level of a steep slope created by Oxfordshire County Council outside HSBC in Witney Market Square.

It was altered as part of a £70,000 county council project to move the traffic calming ‘table’ further down the road, but attracted significant criticism from residents.

Around £16,000 is being spent returning the section of pavement to its original state, with work scheduled to finish on Friday.

The council emphasised there would be ‘minimal disruption’ for pedestrians during this time, and none for traffic, but Witney resident James Pratley said he thought that the money could have been better spent.

He said: “It should never have been like that in the first place.

“It was a waste of money originally and now they’re redoing it to how it was.

“The sooner it’s finished the better. I’m sure they could have done something quicker.”

In early September, a section of wall was removed and the profile of the footway was changed to accommodate the relocation of the traffic calming table.

The table was outside The Blue Boar pub for several years, but was moved approximately 15 metres down the road so the layby at the top of the road could accomodate an extra bus.

The slope was created at the same time, while the layby extension, road surfacing and lining is to come.

Mr Pratley witnessed elderly residents struggling with the slope before barriers were erected several weeks later.

The council always insisted the altered area of pavement was not a formal crossing point, but previously admitted the sloped section down to the road ‘gave the impression that it may be’.

The barriers were in place for several weeks before work began to return the section to its original state last Monday.

Oxfordshire County Council spokesperson Martin Crabtree said: “It takes time to agree and design what needs to be done, then to programme and mobilize.”

Minster Lovell resident Dorothy Holloway, 70, has spent three years calling on the authorities to sort out the town’s ‘lethal’ pavements.

She recently scored a minor victory when the county council announced it would spend £80,000 replacing uneven slabs along parts of the High Street with tarmac.

The project, covering the area from Welch Way up to Boots, will take place on both sides of the road.

Mrs Holloway called on the council to improve the pavement at Witney Market Square once this work was completed.

She said: “At least they’re doing something, but they seem to be overlooking the worst bit, which is the lethal Market Square.”

Mr Crabtree replied: “The situation on the Market Square will continue to be monitored with any necessary repairs being made.”