A WEST Belfast councillor has questioned the decision to reject safety works on footpaths in Andersonstown, claiming it will lead to further injuries.
In February of this year, staff from the Department for Infrastructure tested the paths during wet weather after Cllr Paul Doherty wrote to Infrastructure Minister John O’Dowd citing concerns from residents about the safety of the pavements since public realm work was completed in the area in readiness for the Glider.
He said constituents had complained about falling and slipping in wet weather.
Now the SDLP man has revealed that Minister O’Dowd has confirmed to him that no action will be taken after "laboratory analysis" of the surface of the paths.
“I am extremely disappointed that the Minister is rejecting calls for much-needed safety work on footpaths on the Andersonstown Road," said Cllr Doherty. "There have been numerous incidents were pedestrians were injured, some seriously, due to slipping while out walking and this has been ignored in favour of laboratory analysis which we know none of the details of or how they arrived at this decision.
“After speaking to residents and businesses in the surrounding area it was clear that there is serious concern about the safety risk posed by these footpaths. I have talked to pensioners who are too scared to walk on these paths due to the risk of injury and parents of young children share these same fears. It speaks volumes that when I launched a petition calling for action we attracted over 700 signatures who wanted to see change."
He said it was "totally unacceptable that this situation has been rejected out of hand".
"I urge the Minister to come to the area and walk on these paths himself, speak to those who have been injured and local residents and businesses about their concerns. Rest assured, I will not be letting this issue drop and will continue to raise it whenever and wherever possible until we make these footpaths safe for people in this community.”
