Mixed views on Cheltenham Promenade's paving revamp
NEW pavements in Cheltenham town centre have received a mixed reaction as traders and shoppers have called them a "big improvement" and "really dangerous".
Gloucestershire County Council has been repaving the Promenade between Imperial Square and Ormond Place since April, and the work is due to be complete early next month.
Richard Austin, a director of home and gift store Vinegar Hill, has praised the new pavements, saying they are "much better" than the previous surface. He said: "I think they are a big improvement. They look fantastic, and the risk now of slipping over is much smaller than it was before."
Lauren Mullen, a supervisor at shoe shop Russell & Bromley, says the new surface is much safer.
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She said: "Before the pavements were replaced, a lot of customers were slipping over and we were having to bring them inside because they were hurt. It was really difficult for people in wheelchairs too.
"It's much better now. It's more even and looks better."
However, town centre shopper Julie Stanley, 51, says the new surface is "far worse than it was before".
The nurse, who lives in The Reddings in Cheltenham, said: "When it has rained and the leaves are on the floor it's treacherous.
"Myself and my colleague have slipped, so we worry about elderly people. I'm concerned about health and safety.
"I walk along the gravel part by the road now because it's safer there than the pavement. It's really dangerous."
York stone paving slabs have been used for the £200,000 project, which was jointly funded by the county council and Cheltenham Borough Council.
County council local highways manager Chris Riley said: "At this time of year, when the autumnal conditions arrive, it is normal to find leaves on the ground and this can make surfaces more slippery.
"Cheltenham Borough Council is responsible for clearing leaves away and we have contacted them regarding leaves on and around newly laid paving slabs on the Promenade."
Comments
by Douglasknows
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 1:08PM
“There are two solutions to the problem of falling leaves that would have saved most of the £200k........... 1, hang nets under each tree to catch the leaves or 2, cut down the trees.”
by IsitJimKerr
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 12:59PM
“Steve_Thomas..........................agreed, and also have seen contractors using leaf blowers to just move the leaves a few feet, just for a gust of wind to spread them nice and evenly back over the pavement, still, this doesn't matter as a Eurobox will have been ticked!”
by Steve_Thomas
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 12:21PM
“In the good old days, when roadsweepers actually used the brooms they carry on their trolleys, leaves got swept up with the litter. Now they use the litter-pickers "because it's quicker" they only pick up the litter and leave the leaves to get wet and slippery.
I suggest CBC confiscates these devices and makes them use the brooms. They might then sweep up the dust and cigarette ends, too!”
by Dr_Hfrrrrr
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 12:00PM
“Leaves falling off trees in the Autmn? Why weren't we warned this could happen!?
Down with this sort of thing!”
by thomas1996
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 11:02AM
“Can someone tell me why Royal Mail didn't choose the nice old traditional 'oval' post box in The Prom to be painted gold in honour of the local olympic gold medal success rather than the boring 1980's square one in the High Street?”
by IsitJimKerr
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 11:01AM
“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...............now, I've only been on this planet about fifty odd years, and as far as I can remember, about this time every year, little brown things come fluttering down to earth, and land on the ground.
Also, if they get wet with that other stuff that falls from the sky, they CAN produce a slightly slippery surface.
Having fallen down just the once, when I was new to 'walking', I sort of lodged this thing in my brain, where, seeing the two conditions together.......
I MADE SURE I WASN'T EFFIN' STUPID ENOUGH TO FALL OVER!!!!!!!”
by Matt1006
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 9:21AM
“Not seen the new paving works myself, but I'm sure they are (at least visually) a vast improvement on what was there before.
BUT, it will need Gloucestershire Highways to make sure that as & when a utility company digs part of it up (only a matter of time), the making-good is to the same standard and finish as before. So NO cheap concrete slabs, and definitely no soft tarmac patches. But I won't hold my breath.
As for leaves, they are always slippery when wet, no matter what surface they are lying on. CBC need to make sure they are on their game in keeping the leaves cleared away. As they have to every autumn.”
by NibNobs
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 8:41AM
“I think the council should glue the leaves on the trees in The Prom, it would look better all year round that way and save on sweeping up costs in the winter.”
by ALChelt
Wednesday, October 17 2012, 8:30AM
“Hmmm how dare leaves fall off a tree,you would have thought mother nature could have sorted this issue out by now!”