Watford Community Housing has explained why a path takes a strange angle after residents blasted it as unusable for disabled people.
A grassy area and path opened between a temporary car park for the Meriden estate and York Way (opposite the shops) over the weekend. The parking spots are in place until a new permanent car park is built together with a care home over the road and the space is set to become part of a green with a play area afterwards.
In a video posted online, Stephen Packman demonstrated why he thinks the path is inaccessible for some disabled shoppers.
Mr Packman, who lives a few minutes from the car park, claimed anyone pushing a pram or using a mobility scooter would have “no hope” of using it because of an uneven surface, leaves in the path, and the lack of a dropped curb to get onto it from the car park.
“Once you get to the car park area it goes straight into a parking bay, which is most likely going to be blocked,” he added.
“I’d image that the way they’ve put the path going straight into a parking bay, people who park might not even see it.”
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In the video he demonstrates the route back out of the car park that those parked in the disabled bay have to take (the same way cars come in and with no pavement) before going back around the car park to visit the local shops.
Even the end of the path does not lead to a crossing, instead taking pedestrians to a corner with no safe way to cross York Way without going around and first crossing The Gossamers.
The long-time Meriden resident added: “Yes, it is a temporary car park, but in my view it doesn’t appear right, particularly for disabled people.”
A spokesperson for Watford Community Housing said: “The current car park is temporary, while the remainder of the development work – including the final car park – is being completed.
“Along with the nearby landscaping, it has been designed in line with the requirements set out by Hertfordshire County Council, to provide safe access to the shops via the pavement and the pedestrian crossings.
“Once all works are complete, the new path will provide an additional point of access to the play area.”
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