Fault-ridden roads all over Barnet are a key concern for borough residents, including a pensioner from East Finchley whose street has been “ruined” by recent works.

Ralph Eschwege and his neighbours in Abbots Gardens were told fresh asphalt would be laid on their street last week, but they were disappointed in the results, which still seem unfinished.

Residents noted vehicle tires and footfall saw loosing chipping come away and transfer to the pavement and driveways, while the edges around manholes and against paths are rough.

Mr Eschwege found large chunks of the fresh asphalt can also be pulled away without difficulty and has a collection of them in his home.

The 69-year-old said: “This job is late being started and poorly finished, it’s simply not a good enough job from Barnet Council.

“If you go up to the main East End Road, only next to us, you’ll see the perfect job which has been done resurfacing those surfaces which makes the results here even more inexplicable.

“There are many areas like this around Barnet and something needs to be done to stop the council, or whoever they are outsourcing this service to, from doing such an amateur job.”

Street works are a contentious issue in Barnet, with the state of the roads and pavements the second highest concern among residents according to the council’s latest residents’ perception survey.

Repair of roads is one of the lowest rated Council services with only 27 per cent of residents in the survey rating it highly.

At last week’s environment committee (September 29), Barnet’s Labour group requested the council take legal action against utility companies for sub-standard jobs.

Alon Or-bach, councillor for East Finchley, said: “Residents have noticed the state of our roads and pavements deteriorate in Barnet.

“Labour believe the council needs to drastically improve its duty to maintain our streets.

“Taking action when utility companies fail to correctly undertake street work is one area we believe Barnet can up its game.”

Barnet has one of the largest road networks in London, with 460 miles of roads and pavements.

Abbots Gardens is one of 129 roads and pavements where the council are carrying out improvement works this year.

According to the council, work at Abbots Gardens, being carried out by Conway Aecom, is nearly complete and they will be carrying out regular inspections on this and all other roads and pavements to ensure they are of high quality.

The council said defects or failures in work will be rectified at the contractors’ expense before final completion is agreed.

Conservative councillor Dean Cohen, chairman of the environment committee, said: “We know that the quality of roads and pavements is a top concern for residents.

“That is why we have allocated millions in additional funding for resurfacing, repairs and improvements, in a programme of work which is beginning to bear fruit.

“The council constantly works to try and ensure the timely and effective completion of all necessary roadworks, including those by utility companies.

“Where there are overruns or defects the council will impose fines and since 2013 the council has received some £1.74m in such fines in total.”