UNHAPPY Sedgley residents are demanding Dudley Council repairs resurfacing work that took place last September after being plagued by flying grit.

Residents insist the surface dressing is sub-standard, leaving the Northway dangerous for both motorists and pedestrians.

Northway Action Group for Road Safety has taken up the issue and said despite meetings between the group and council officials, no satisfactory action has yet been taken.

Group spokesman Tony North said: “I was struck by a piece of flying grit myself which hit me just an inch below the eye.

“The work taken place by Dudley Council’s contractors involved a surface dressing with a wet tar spray and then grit applied.

“But within days, parts of it were wearing off.

“We expressed our concerns and wrote to DMBC back in September as the grit was detaching and bald spots appearing.”

The group conducted an on-line survey and received almost 100 returns.

Northway residents said they were previously happy with the road surface, but were heavily critical of the new one.

Over 90 per cent cited flying grit causing damage, with many making claims against DMBC.

Mr North added: “We know of at least one incident where the grit broke a windscreen, while dog walkers and pedestrians continue to be battered.”

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member elect for environmental services, said: “We appointed contractors last summer to resurface the Northway with a material, which is widely used in the industry, to increase the road’s resistance and life expectancy. However, the surface didn’t hold up as well as it should of or we would have expected during the harsh weather we experienced this winter. This is unfortunate and we have worked closely with our contractors to establish why this is the case. The contractors returned to site last week to carry out repairs.”

She said the council would continue to sweep the road to remove loose chippings.