Slippery street strikes again

While options are being explored with a view to improve King Street’s slippery surface, soon after the Times raised concerns, the hazardous footpath claimed another casualty.

Claire Scott, who works at King Street’s Bendon Outlet Pukekohe, was on her way to work recently when her foot slipped on the damp footpath, fracturing her ankle and leaving her shaken.

After five hours at an A&E, Scott went home with a moon boot, a medical certificate and two weeks of ACC leave – a burden she says was not only physical.

“I managed to hobble inside but it hurt so much that when I rang my manager, I just burst into tears,” she says. “Also, financially it’s not ideal because we all have bills and mortgages to pay.”

Scott has warned others to be careful on the footpath – she now knows the importance of this all too well.

“Over the years, we’ve heard that customers have broken arms, ankles and legs from slipping, especially older people.”

Other locals have also contacted the Times following our last issue, all sharing similar concerns about the slippery street.

Lesley Kidd (68) says she didn’t have any trouble walking down King Street before the tiles were installed, but she has since been avoiding the street when she can.

“Even with running shoes on, it seems to be too slippery,” she says. “I’ll often put things off, so I don’t have to go down King Street especially when it’s wet.”

They are not alone. Feedback collected by Pukekohe Business Association (PBA) in 2022, found that 82 per cent of respondents had slipped or knew someone who had. In addition, 50 per cent said they keep clear of the CBD during wet weather to prevent slipping, PBA GM, Shawna Coleman confirms.

“We’ve advocated for a solution for several years, working with the Franklin Local Board and technical experts. Previous trials have not delivered a lasting result, but recent testing has [been] encouraging. We are hopeful a long-term solution is within reach soon.”

While his comments do not necessarily reflect those of the Franklin Local Board, board member Merritt Watson agrees that the footpath has been a recurring problem, particularly in winter.

“Although people may not see obvious activity on King Street, there has been work happening behind the scenes,” he says. “We are trying to find a practical solution because we recognise this is a genuine safety issue.”

Options are being explored, but it is not an easy fix. One attempt involved applying a non-slip coating on sections of the pavers, which was relatively inexpensive, but it wore away within weeks. Other methods have been considered, including abrasive blasting to improve grip.

Digging up and replacing the tiles would involve a disruptive reconstruction of Pukekohe’s main street as well as surrounding roads and an “eye-watering sum” to cover the cost.

“Without [enough] feedback, it becomes much harder for the local board to justify prioritising funding for a project of [such a] scale over many other competing demands across Franklin,” Watson adds.

“If we can significantly improve the existing pavers without replacing an entire streetscape that is only around 25 years old, that would be a much better outcome for the community.”