By . Libby Galvin . PUBLISHED: . 10:54 EST, 28 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:47 EST, 28 November 2012 . Early in the morning, just as day is dawning, he picks up all the postbags in his van... but now, the postman is banned from delivering to one particular housing estate due to fears he might trip over. Overzealous Royal Mail health and safety officers have ruled that the uneven paving slabs on two roads in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, are too dangerous for their postmen to negotiate. If they want to get their mail, residents of Maryfield Walk and Rogerstone Avenue will be forced to make a six-mile round trip in order to collect their letters, parcels and postcards from the nearest depot and carry them home themselves. A bump in the road: Royal Mail refuse to deliver letters to some houses in Stoke-on-Trent because of the health and safety risk posed by uneven paving slabs like these . 'Madness': This pathway is considered by officials to be too treacherous for a postman to traverse . Do it yourself: Pensioners will be forced - along with other residents - to make a six-mile round trip to get their mail rather than make postmen face walking over these wobbly stones . And the situation won't change unless families living on the road pay out to repair the wonky stones that have been deemed so hazardous. Residents are furious at the decision, and have called the move - which has come at one of the busiest times of year for post - 'madness'. Student Lodfi Liberal, 19, who lives on Maryfield Walk, said: 'It feels like Royal Mail are persecuting the people who live here. 'It's not our fault the paths are a little uneven in places but that's life. 'We all cope with the paths, we're not kept prisoners in our homes too scared to venture out in case we trip over so why should Royal Mail be so worried? 'It's just madness.' Another resident, Dave Poole, 49, went further, describing it as just one more example of 'health and safety gone mad.' He said: 'We have elderly residents who manage the . stones fine, so why can’t these fit and healthy posties do the same? It’s not like anyone has injured themselves. 'It’s outrageous. How can OAPs be expected to travel six miles every day just to pick up their letters?' Elderly local Jean Rodger, 83, agreed. 'I’m expecting letters from the hospital . so I’ve had to ask a lady around the corner to pick up my post for me. I’ve been here 26 years. 'If I can manage the flagstones, I’m sure the postman can.' Quite a distance: The lengthy route from Maryfield Walk to the Leek Road Post Office depot that residents will now have to take . Frustrating: A copy of the letters the postman did deliver - telling residents their service would be ending. Right, Student Lodfi Liberal, who feels the Royal Mail is 'persecuting' the people of the area . Residents have found themselves at a stand-off with Royal Mail over how to deal with the damaged pavements. Many people living in the area are short-term renters such as students and nurses rather than homeowners, and are unwilling or unable to pay for the work out of their own pockets. This has left many of those affected with the task of tracking down landlords to try and persuade them to invest in the repairs. Dave Oldfield, 69, who has lived at his . property for 28 years, said: 'Nothing has been done to the paving slabs . because some of the property owners rent their houses so it is difficult . to find out who they are. 'It will be down to a few people who live here and own their properties to do something and it will be too expensive. But Mr Oldfield has come up with one initiative to tackle the problem - erecting his own postbox on another street. Stand-off: Many people living in the area are short-term renters such as students and nurses rather than homeowners, and unwilling to pay for repairs out of their own pockets . He said: 'I have put a postbox on the other side . of my house away from the slabs and asked a manager if they can put any . post in there and I am waiting for an answer.' A spokesman for Royal Mail said: 'We have temporarily suspended deliveries because of the very poor state of the pavements in the area. 'We . previously raised our concerns with residents about the safety risk . because the pavements are their responsibility, but to date these . haven’t been addressed. 'We carried out a further risk assessment last week and the paving clearly posed a safety risk. 'Our . delivery staff have been injured in very similar circumstances and as . we have a duty of care we are not prepared to compromise on safety. 'We are keen to resume deliveries to these addresses as soon as improvements are made to the pavements.' The affected residents have been advised to check their property deeds or consult the Land Registry. Pete Price, of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: 'It is the responsibility of the landowner to ensure the roads and pavements are maintained to a safe standard.' Poor service: Dozens of families and elderly people living on Maryfield Walk and Rogerstone Avenue will now go without any postal deliveries until they pay for the repairs . Taking initiative: Locals have attempted to work around the post ban by offering postmen alternative places to leave letters, or in the case of resident Dave Oldfield, erecting their own postboxes on neighbouring streets .
Royal Mail insists homeowners must pay to repair the cracked slabs out of their own pockets .
Residents call it 'madness' and one has erected his own postbox on another street .
By . Libby Galvin . PUBLISHED: . 10:54 EST, 28 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:47 EST, 28 November 2012 . Early in the morning, just as day is dawning, he picks up all the postbags in his van... but now, the postman is banned from delivering to one particular housing estate due to fears he might trip over. Overzealous Royal Mail health and safety officers have ruled that the uneven paving slabs on two roads in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, are too dangerous for their postmen to negotiate. If they want to get their mail, residents of Maryfield Walk and Rogerstone Avenue will be forced to make a six-mile round trip in order to collect their letters, parcels and postcards from the nearest depot and carry them home themselves. A bump in the road: Royal Mail refuse to deliver letters to some houses in Stoke-on-Trent because of the health and safety risk posed by uneven paving slabs like these . 'Madness': This pathway is considered by officials to be too treacherous for a postman to traverse . Do it yourself: Pensioners will be forced - along with other residents - to make a six-mile round trip to get their mail rather than make postmen face walking over these wobbly stones . And the situation won't change unless families living on the road pay out to repair the wonky stones that have been deemed so hazardous. Residents are furious at the decision, and have called the move - which has come at one of the busiest times of year for post - 'madness'. Student Lodfi Liberal, 19, who lives on Maryfield Walk, said: 'It feels like Royal Mail are persecuting the people who live here. 'It's not our fault the paths are a little uneven in places but that's life. 'We all cope with the paths, we're not kept prisoners in our homes too scared to venture out in case we trip over so why should Royal Mail be so worried? 'It's just madness.' Another resident, Dave Poole, 49, went further, describing it as just one more example of 'health and safety gone mad.' He said: 'We have elderly residents who manage the . stones fine, so why can’t these fit and healthy posties do the same? It’s not like anyone has injured themselves. 'It’s outrageous. How can OAPs be expected to travel six miles every day just to pick up their letters?' Elderly local Jean Rodger, 83, agreed. 'I’m expecting letters from the hospital . so I’ve had to ask a lady around the corner to pick up my post for me. I’ve been here 26 years. 'If I can manage the flagstones, I’m sure the postman can.' Quite a distance: The lengthy route from Maryfield Walk to the Leek Road Post Office depot that residents will now have to take . Frustrating: A copy of the letters the postman did deliver - telling residents their service would be ending. Right, Student Lodfi Liberal, who feels the Royal Mail is 'persecuting' the people of the area . Residents have found themselves at a stand-off with Royal Mail over how to deal with the damaged pavements. Many people living in the area are short-term renters such as students and nurses rather than homeowners, and are unwilling or unable to pay for the work out of their own pockets. This has left many of those affected with the task of tracking down landlords to try and persuade them to invest in the repairs. Dave Oldfield, 69, who has lived at his . property for 28 years, said: 'Nothing has been done to the paving slabs . because some of the property owners rent their houses so it is difficult . to find out who they are. 'It will be down to a few people who live here and own their properties to do something and it will be too expensive. But Mr Oldfield has come up with one initiative to tackle the problem - erecting his own postbox on another street. Stand-off: Many people living in the area are short-term renters such as students and nurses rather than homeowners, and unwilling to pay for repairs out of their own pockets . He said: 'I have put a postbox on the other side . of my house away from the slabs and asked a manager if they can put any . post in there and I am waiting for an answer.' A spokesman for Royal Mail said: 'We have temporarily suspended deliveries because of the very poor state of the pavements in the area. 'We . previously raised our concerns with residents about the safety risk . because the pavements are their responsibility, but to date these . haven’t been addressed. 'We carried out a further risk assessment last week and the paving clearly posed a safety risk. 'Our . delivery staff have been injured in very similar circumstances and as . we have a duty of care we are not prepared to compromise on safety. 'We are keen to resume deliveries to these addresses as soon as improvements are made to the pavements.' The affected residents have been advised to check their property deeds or consult the Land Registry. Pete Price, of Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: 'It is the responsibility of the landowner to ensure the roads and pavements are maintained to a safe standard.' Poor service: Dozens of families and elderly people living on Maryfield Walk and Rogerstone Avenue will now go without any postal deliveries until they pay for the repairs . Taking initiative: Locals have attempted to work around the post ban by offering postmen alternative places to leave letters, or in the case of resident Dave Oldfield, erecting their own postboxes on neighbouring streets .
pay out to repair the wonky stones that have been Liberal, who feels the Royal Mail is for the work out of their own pockets. This has - erecting his own postbox on another street.