A WOMAN has been left furious after tripping up on a “tiny” kerb and breaking her shoulder – but council bosses are refusing to do anything about it.
Mary Richmond, 71, broke her shoulder in two places after a recent fall on Keynsham High Street in Bristol.
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She was out running errands before her nasty fall over the inconspicuous low kerb left her with the serious injury, reports Bristol Live.
There have been numerous reports of people tripping over the kerbs leaving some with “very painful” injuries which include head injuries and sprained ankles.
Mary said: “I was crossing from the Church side to other. On the first side there isn’t a kerb down to the road but it was when I crossed the road by the bike rack and cycle lane there is a kerb and I tripped on that.
“It doesn’t seem like a full kerb, its small. It was because it wasn’t there the other side so you think it’s flat.”
Mary then added that she realised the next day the injury was far more serious than first thought and an x-ray confirmed she had broken bones.
She said: “I’m going to be in a sling for six weeks and then months of physio to regain the use of my arm.”
Mary says that the “excruciating” pain has affected her everyday life and social plans.
“It’s so inconvenient and painful, its excruciating. I have had to cancel plans, including going to Lincolnshire for a family funeral as I can’t stand bumps in the road for the car journey, its so painful.
“I think it [the road] has a poor design. I was shocked to see online via the Report It website that I was one of many people who had tripped.”
Bath and North East Somerset Council’s ‘Report It’ website, allows people to report a wide range of problems, and it reveals that a number of complaints about the kerbs have been made.
The council responded on Friday, March 18 saying: “Thank you for your enquiry. The project team have confirmed that the new designed layout is compliant with the specification for highway works and we will not be making any further alterations.”
A complainant on the same day said: “Amazed that the “project team” has said it is “compliant” and “we will not be making any further alterations”. This is dangerous and needs sorting urgently.”
An update from the council, posted on Friday 25 said: “Thank you for your report(s) which have been sent to the appropriate teams to investigate.
“This may take some time but we will provide an update here as soon as we can. As with any other new public realm, we will be monitoring usage as people get used to the new layout.”
On Saturday, March 26 another comment said: “Older man fell off kerb and nasty injury to head, unable to stand and fell into oncoming traffic. Thank goodness people were there to act as a shield to protect him from being hit by cars.”
Councillor Richard Samuel, deputy leader and cabinet member for economic development and resources, said: “I’ve visited the High Street to see the work that’s been done and am of course concerned to hear people are having problems with the new layout.
“We are urging people to please use the pedestrian crossings to cross the street safely.
“We’ll also be putting up temporary signage throughout the street to help draw people’s attention to the layout.”
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