AN INCENSED gran insists she will go to jail in protest if necessary after council bosses reneged on a pledge to fix a crash barrier outside her home.

Janette Fionda, 65, has reiterated her threat to withdraw council tax payments because she and husband Gerry, 82, are so furious.

A protective barrier outside their front garden on New Road, Marlow Bottom, was wrecked in February last year when a car crashed in the icy weather.

Their home is on the corner and towards the bottom of steeply sloped street.

Buckinghamshire County Council told the Free Press in December bollards would be installed 'early in 2010' to replace the barrier “as a matter of priority as soon as they are delivered”.

But nearly four months later it has told Marlow Bottom Parish Council there is “no effective solution to replace the barrier” and now says the risk is “relatively low”.

Mrs Fionda said: “I couldn't believe it when I saw this response. I'm so incensed.

"They've left us with no where to turn, they are making us look like imbeciles and I'm not putting up with it.

“I will withhold my council tax, we pay so much for it. They can take me to prison, I don't care.”

She said Si Khan, BCC transport boss for the Wycombe area, had told her work on potholes had delayed work when they spoke early in January.

Then in a phone call later in the month Mrs Fionda said she was told the bollard plan had changed and the barrier would be replaced 'like for like'.

In December Mrs Khan personally apologised to the Fiondas for the 'lack of communication and for the time it has taken to resolve this issue.'

Mrs Fionda said, while this was appreciated, she had now become infuriated by the lack of action and apparent backtracking the council had made.

BCC's response to Lorna Parkins, clerk at Marlow Bottom Parish Council, which had taken up the case on the Fiondas' behalf, said “there would be no reason to object to the owner of the property building a wall in place”.

But Mrs Fionda said: “Give us the money, we are pensioners. We can't afford it.”

During the cold snap in January a 4x4 vehicle had been forced to swerve onto the Fiondas drive during the cold snap in January – but fortunately managed to stop before crashing into their house.

Mr Fionda, a retired London restaurateur, said during this spell their street had become an “absolute nightmare” with “kamikaze drivers” and sliding down the hill – which proved the need for the barrier.

The Fiondas, who are worried about the safety of their two grandchildren in particular, said neighbours had fully backed their effort to get the barrier fixed.

BCC told Marlow Bottom Parish Council it could not replace the barrier because none could comply with 2006 standards, while anti-terrorist posts would be “likely to cause more severe injury to any motorist ... and would not be recommended in any safety audit.”

Legislation has changed since the barrier was first put in, which has complicated the matter, BCC added.

Mrs Khan was unavailable for comment this week due to being away on holiday.