Points re safety issues on Leatherhead ramp and High Street
[12 Dec 2003 - given to Cllrs Helyn Clack & Bob McKinley]

Ramp

Handrail - the handrail is there to be used by the partially sighted. However it drops away suddenly, so that anyone using it gets the ‘knuckle rap’ experience.

Iron work - there are sharp bits of wrought iron work sticking out.

Steps - the ‘fade away’ steps at the bottom of ramp are dangerous as they are not obvious especially to the ‘partially sighted’ and the elderly with poor eye-sight. Furthermore, the camber is apparently not suitable for a wheelchair. The other step, next to the shop ‘Mores’ is even more dangerous– several people have already fallen up and down this step, and one lady was taken to hospital. Putting yellow lines on the top of each step does help their visibility, but the steps are still difficult to see.
Why are there steps on a ramp for the disabled in the first place?

Emergency access - the area on the corner outside National Westminster Bank is supposed to be access for the Emergency Services. However, it is still blocked off by red and white barriers – there is supposed to be ‘post’ there which can be unlocked if necessary by the Emergency Services.

Demarcation between traffic and pedestrians

Corner by Abbey National - the new paving at the corner where the High Street meets Church Street has the same paving, so that there is no demarcation between the road and the pedestrian area. While lights have been put into the paving, presumably to mark where cars should drive, these will not be obvious to car drivers, especially in daylight or on a Summer’s night. The rest of the High Street and Church Street have cobbles marking the area for driving – why weren’t the cobbles continued around the corner? Consequently the ‘corner’ is dangerous as it is, and some form of demarcation must be put in – I have already suggested that a few black wrought iron posts around the corner would be sufficient, and the ‘partially sighted’ can be trained to know they are there.

Parking in the High Street - when the high street is open to traffic before 10.00am and after 4.30pm, there are a great number of cars that park there. It seems that the difference in paving means that cars should park on the dark cobbled area, but there are no signs stating this and nothing to stop parking on the paving stones which are presumably meant to be the pavement. Leatherhead needs to provide parking spaces for very short term parking to allow busy people to pop into a shop without all the hassle of going to a car park - if there is not sufficient parking like this in Leatherhead, people will shop in Ashtead, Fetcham, Bookham and Cobham where they can park on the street. The parking areas in the High Street need to be clearly defined, and some of the very wide sections of paving need to be defined for parking.

People need to able to drive through Leatherhead, at least part of the time, to be able to see what the town has to offer. Leatherhead has greatly improved over the last 12 months, but the town must have convenience and access to ensure the shops/businesses stay.

I understand that Seeability has already written a letter to Roger Archer-Reeves regarding safety issues in the centre of Leatherhead. The Disability Action group have commissioned a report regarding safety which was sent to Roger Archer-Reeves back in August.

Leatherhead AHEAD 12 December 2003