ONE-IN-FOUR pavements in York and North Yorkshire need repairing, according to new Government figures.

The statistics are even worse for East Yorkshire, where more than 50 per cent of pavements are in need of repair.

Councils across the region are struggling to find money to fix crumbling surfaces and potholes, which can cause pedestrians to trip and fall.

New figures also show that 5.7 per cent of A roads, 25 per cent of B and C roads and 15 per cent of unclassified roads in York need repair work.

Across North Yorkshire, some 5.5 per cent of A, 17 per cent of B and C and 25 per cent of unclassified roads need repairing.

In East Yorkshire, nearly seven per cent of B and C roads and eleven per cent of 'unclassified' roads are in a similar state.

Highways teams discovered what roads and footpaths were in poor condition in a series of visual checks in 2003/04.

Results were revealed today in the Department of Transport's national road maintenance condition survey. Badly maintained roads were flagged up after wheel track cracks, potholes and cracked and uneven paving flags were spotted.

David Bowe, North Yorkshire County Council assistant director of highways, assured residents there were no dangerous roads or pavements under the council's remit and regular checks were carried out.

"If we identify anything dangerous, that's repaired within 24 hours, if it poses an immediate hazard to the public."

But he admitted the figures reflected a percentage of the network that fell below "structural maintenance standards".

Mr Bowe said none of the 25 per cent of pavements in the statistics were an "immediate trip hazard".

City of York council leader, Steve Galloway said a backlog of road repairs had built up over two decades. In 2004/5, he said the city invested in its biggest ever highway and footpath resurfacing programme.

He said this was continuing, but Government grant cuts and spiralling building costs meant this reduced this year. About 120 resurfacing projects are in the pipeline, including roads in Acomb, Bishopthorpe, Fishergate, Haxby and Strensall.

A spokesman for East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: "Our figures may appear poor compared to many metropolitan areas, but this is because of the rural nature of the county."

Updated: 10:02 Friday, May 13, 2005