A "DODGY" set of pavements in Woodford Green is to be repaved - despite the council telling campaigners it was "not a priority" just four months ago.

As the Guardian reported in March 2009, some residents living around Snakes Lane East warned it was "only a matter of time before someone breaks their neck" because of the poor condition of walkways in the area.

At the time, a council spokesman told this paper that following a consultation with the public "and other stakeholders" it was decided other pavements were in more urgent need of repair.

But now the authority has revealed it had actually been trying since 2008 to secure a grant from Transport for London (TfL) to repave Snakes Lane East and other roads surrounding the station such as St Barnabas Road and Madeira Grove - at the same time as they told the public it was "not considered a high priority at this current time."

The grant of £100,000 was awarded in April - just weeks after our original story in which the authority made the claims.

Campaigner Maxine James, 54, said: "I think it's very underhand of the council. On the one hand they're telling us the pavements aren't a problem but at the same time they're wriggling away trying to get money for them.

"It's not true to say the pavements aren't dangerous. For me this is the council admitting they knew all along that it's a problem."

According to council documents, under the plans: "the public footway from St Barnabas Road to Madeira Grove will be repaved in traditional materials.

"The private forecourts within this section of Snakes Lane East will, in consultation with the shop owners, be overlaid to improve the general look of the area.

"In order to increase safety and security around the station, the section between the station exit and St Barnabas Road will be relit."

Work is due to begin this summer.

A further bid to TfL is also due to be made in the coming months in an attempt to secure £500,000 to improve station access at Woodford, largely concentrating around the Broadway.

A council spokeswoman said: "Transport for London (TfL) were making funds available to ‘enhance’ the street scene in areas where people walk. We identified an opportunity to bid for these available funds to help improve the street environment, such as secondary shopping areas, so we submitted a bid for the Snakes Lane East area, which was successful.

"The TfL money was allocated to improve the general streetscape in our town centres and to improve the walking environment, it was not allocated for general highways maintenance.

"The footways in the area are not dangerous and the money is being used for environmental improvement, not as a response to safety needs.

"In terms of safety maintenance and meeting the minimum legal requirement, the council has systems in place to ensure this is achieved, the footways in this area were not considered dangerous and their condition when compared with others across the borough did not justify a high priority in the annual major maintenance programme.

"However, it is acknowleged that the footways in the area could be visually improved, so we are taking the opportunity improve the appearance of the walking environment with the money TfL are allocating."