Dozens of shoppers have been hurt tripping over a 'hidden' kerb built for blind people in a £15.7million pedestrianised zone. The eco-friendly scheme was intended to cut traffic pollution and encourage people to walk or cycle into the city centre.
A low kerb was installed for blind and partially sighted people to tap their sticks against to help them navigate their way. Just six weeks after the new zone was opened, dozens of people have complained about the kerb being a dangerous “trip hazard”, including councillors.
One Wolverhampton shopper said: “It’s crazy. I came out the Mander shopping centre with a few bags, I crossed the road and almost went flat on my face when I didn’t see the kerb. There is a white line but it’s so close to the new cycle and pedestrian markings you can barely see it.
“I’ve seen lots of people almost come a cropper over it.”
Another resident said: “The council seem to have put something in to help blind people but created a trip hazard for everyone else. Lots of elderly people use this street and I’ll be amazed if someone doesn’t have a nasty fall one of these days.
“Everyone seems to be falling down.”
Workers and engineers took 17 months to install the hi-tech road markings and dropped kerbs along the road. Shopkeepers and business owners say trade slumped while the road was closed but they now fear the trip hazard will put even more people off the area.
Shopkeeper Pram Aulakh, 60, said: "It's an awful waste of money to spend on just one road. Every day I see people struggling across the road and almost lose their footing. It's ridiculous and makes the area a laughing stock."
Another business owner said: "The council have essentially spent £15million creating an obstacle course for shoppers. It's absolutely barmy and no one will benefit.
"It was safer crossing the road when there were cars and buses going up and down."
Councillors at the Labour-run council have admitted the new markings are causing problems for pedestrians. Labour councillor Zee Russell said: "I was there for the little festival we had and everyone seemed to be falling down the little brick that's there.
"Because it's grey you can't see it, and if someone is visually impaired it's going to have an impact on them. My criticism is that it is an accident waiting to happen and that really does need addressing."
Fellow Labour councillor John Reynolds said he had tripped over on the road. He said: "I have a cup of tea in a couple of cafes in that part of the street and I've tripped over it.
"Whilst I appreciate it is designed for some parts of the community, I think for other parts of the community it's neither a kerb or not a kerb, it's half a kerb. So therefore you fall over half a kerb very easily because you can't see it."
Ruth Taylor, the council's service lead for placemaking, said: "That kerb was introduced as a result of conversations with colleagues that have visual impairment and use a tapping stick.
"They wanted some delineation created in that section of the road so they could understand and navigate it. We have had a number of issues raised to us about that as a trip hazard.
"The project manager is currently looking at ways that we might be able to come come to a compromise on that while consulting with our blind stakeholders to see whether there is another way of doing this."
A council spokesperson said the Victoria Street scheme was set to undergo its formal independent road safety audit this week.
They said: "There are currently no plans to make any changes to the works carried out in Victoria Street.”
