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Slipping and a sliding in the Bourg Walk boogie
A DESIGN flaw on the Bourg Walk bridge in Aylesbury is creating a slippery situation for Bucks County Council.
The bridge has become a blackspot for falls during the wintry weather and despite attempts to fix it, the problem remains.
Most hazardous are the areas of ‘tactile paving’ which mark out the ends of the bridge and where stairs are for blind pedestrians, which become like sheets of ice in the cold.
But Rosemary Bryant, manager at Transport For Bucks, said: “As we have been made aware of people slipping on the Bourg Walk bridge paving we have recently attempted to apply an alternative anti slip application to the existing surface.
“This has unfortunately not improved the situation so we are now in the process of sourcing a different product.”
She said the council is now looking at different ‘surface mounted tiles’ and modifying the bridge to improve drainage.
The council is ‘taking a lead on resolving the issue’ but it is still to be resolved whether the authority will pay the bill or whether it will be their contractors.
Transport chiefs are still awaiting the prices of the new materials.
She continued: “The affected areas of pavement are routinely salted to reduce the risk of slipping.”
“There are no plans to remove the tactile paving.
“We have received reports of 12 people slipping over a two year period between December 2009 and December 2011 and no claims for compensation.”
Pedestrians The Bucks Herald spoke to on Monday agreed that negotiating the bridge was often tricky.
Roger Dunn, of Penn Road, said: “I saw somebody slip over last Saturday, a lady in her 40s at around 5pm in the evening. I’ve fallen over myself as well before, just at the beginning of the bridge nearest to town. The problem is, that it’s so inconvenient to walk any other way into town, because if you don’t use the bridge you have to walk all the way round, which takes twice as long.”
Paula Roberts, of Tring Road, added: “Last year I slipped over a few times on the bridge, I even felt myself having to hold onto the sides. I have to use the bridge to get to the college where I work.”
The bridge opened in 2009, with the Bourg Walk/ Station Boulevard scheme costing a total of £8 million.
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Weather for Aylesbury
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
JR
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 09:18 PM*A* design flaw What, just the one? How about a bridge that didn't let prams or wheelchairs off at the train station? How about a bridge that allowed cars to cross & pedestrians etc to go straight out onto a very busy main road? How about when they finally built a lift, it keeps breaking down? Who the heck designed this bridge - playgroup? Obvious to all except the designers - if you build an exposed walkway so high off the ground, there is a slim chance it 'might' become slippery when wet \ cold
EJ
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 07:58 PMâWe have received reports of 12 people slipping over a two year period between December 2009 and December 2011 and no claims for compensation.â Oh, well that's ok then :D
LocalBoy
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 06:38 PMCouncillors wasted millions on this project, and now even more will be wasted trying to put it right. I hope the councillors are happy with their "work".
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