High Street kerb could be changed

Council bosses are looking at ways of making a new kerb in Cheltenham High Street easier to see, after yet another person tripped over it. Michelle Webb, from Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, said she broke a finger and badly sprained her ankle after falling in the revamped part of the street. She said: "I'm not happy at all. I was walking by Caffe Nero. I missed the pavement as I didn't realise it was the pavement. Anybody would not know that it is the pavement."



The 39-year-old said she landed on the ground so hard that she couldn't get up and had to be helped by passers-by. "Bless the people that stopped for me," she said. Having sustained the two injuries, she said she then had to wait nearly an hour for an ambulance to arrive to take her to Cheltenham General Hospital. But it was the condition of the revamped pavement that she was most unhappy about, adding: "It has got the same sort of colour as part of the road.





"There's no difference. Everyone is going to fall. If somebody doesn't change the colour, there's going to be more accidents." Michelle, of admitted that the kerb had caught her out even though she had read about other people tripping on it. Dozens of other shoppers have also reported tripping on the new addition in the street, which was reopened following resurfacing work. Problems have been faced by people with pushchairs and mobility scooters, who have failed to notice the kerbs.



The colour of them is similar to brickwork which lines the road and visually impaired people are also facing difficulties. Chris Riley, Gloucestershire County Council's local highways manager, said: "The work we've done on Cheltenham High Street is designed to give better access to the pedestrians and buses which use it the most. Following concerns, we had the area safety checked and it does meet the national safety guidelines. However, we're aware of some concerns about the new kerb and we're currently looking at ways to make it easier to see."