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Slippery CBD
Published April 23rd 2008, Posted in Northland / 5 Comments
Are you concerned about access in and around the Central Business District?
Have you fallen over recently or know of someone who has fallen over due to the slippery tiles in the Strand Arcade or Quality Street or anywhere else in the CBD?
Tiaho Trust has received a number of complaints about access issues especially the slippery surfaces in the CBD. On rainy days it is likened to a skating rink.
Accidents or injuries were the most common cause of disability for adults aged between 15 and 64 years of age (From 2006 Statistics NZ Disability Survey). Northland has a high rate of accidents compared to other regions.
Tiaho Trust has distributed a petition to the Disability Information Advisory Service groups in Whangarei as a means of gathering evidence of usability issues of the Central Business District. If you have an issue or complaint about access you can make a comment at the bottom of this article, sign one of the petitions or write a letter stating your concerns either to Tiaho Trust or to the Disability Advisor, Kim Silvey at the Whangarei District Council.
Your comments and letters will be put before the next Disability Sector Reference Group meeting.
5 Comments
Yes I agree. They are bloody dangerous when wet. The are the most stupid paving anyone could invest in. I have slipped numerous times and I don’t even have a disability. A pity we can’t sue over here, otherwise they would have been gone by lunchtime!
I have to say that there is a steady stream of people complaining of the slipperyness of the CBD foot paths. My self included.
The questions I have to ask are:
1. Is there any criteria laid down by Occupational Health & Safety (OSH) regarding the surface quality of footpaths or public places in respect to ‘slipperyness’? If so, why is the criteria not adhered to? If not why not?
2. Many shops are required to exhibit safety signs if the floors get slippery so why is the council exempt?
3. There is significant difference between the old sealed foot paths and the new brick surfaces in terms of traction so who did the research into this feature, and if there was no research done, was this an oversight or why was it not included in the original contract spefications?
4. Who was responsible for signing the surface off?
There is substantial evidence that many older people will not go to CBD on wet days expressly because of the slippery surfaces.
Cheers
Max Belcher
Whangarei Treatment Providers Ltd
I too have scrapped other people off the pavement when they have slipped on the appallingly slippery tiles in the Mall. Particularly the ones that line the entrance to the Mall from both ends. The other disasterous area is in the Strand Arcade, those mirror like tiles in there are like a skating rink on wet days. It is interesting to note that our Council continues to spend money on the aesthetics, (making it look good), but at the end of the day all we the public wants are safe and accessible areas. I would love to see a public survey (perhaps by the Advocate)of all of the near misses that have occurred. It is only a matter of time before the Councils luck runs out and someone does take an action against them, a tourist perhaps? Arent they lucky this is not the US of A?
these issues are to be addressed at the upcoming DSRG meeting where both ACC and WDC’s Community Safety Officer will speak to the group and listen and identify particular hazardous spots requiring attention (obviously, the sooner the better). I will give the feedback from this meeting taking place in early June, when hopefully some decisions will be made as to what’s to be done, when and where…
I first learned of this happening years ago, when the tiles were being installed. I approached DRC personally requesting DRC approach WDC about it.
DRC declined, told me to contact Council myself.
I did this, and was told to contact the Contractor/ Firm doing the work(no longer recall the name).
I spoke to the Contractor/ Firm and encountered surprise that this should be happening. Was further told that when the tiles were “sealed”, this should fix the problem.
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Thanks Gail and Tiaho Trust for posting this information. I do hope people from the Northland can attend. Let me know if you require transport and I’ll see what I can do. Keep smiling, Mark