By Chris Cornford
A telegraph pole in the middle of a new footpath in Freshwater may have to be relocated, despite meeting minimum requirements for wheelchairs and mobility access.
The path was built opposite the Green Meadows Care Home complex in Colwell Road, Freshwater. But locals have questioned whether the pole should have been moved before the path was built.
A resident on West Wight Hub said: “There was only a grass verge either side of the road before and people had to walk in the road. Bearing in mind this footpath has taken weeks to construct I would have thought forward planning might have foreseen the problem the posts would present.
“Obviously, there are going to be residents in the new complex with mobility issues who will need to use their scooters along here and will now not have enough width to get past safely.
“Wheels will either land up in the mud one side or tip over the curb on the other. Is this going to be one of those projects where they spend a fortune and then come along and dig the lovely new surface up to rectify the mistakes?”
An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson confirmed the road met the planning requirement and said: “This is not an Isle of Wight Council or Island Roads scheme – the footway in question has been built by a private developer as part of a residential development in Colwell Road.
“The council has, however, reviewed the pinch-point created by the posts and, while it meets the minimum requirement for wheelchair and mobility access, the council recognises the outcome is not as good for all residents as it should be.
“We will therefore be aiming to work with the relevant parties to seek the relocation of the poles to create a more usable route.”
Press Release