Roundabout raises mobility issues

• Published date: 05 November 2021
• Publication title: Oamaru Mail

The avid lawn bowler used to happily travel along the footpath from his Reed St flat to the Meadowbank Bowling Club in Oamaru’s North End, but since the new roundabout was installed at the intersection of Reed, Ouse and Derwent Sts in April, he had been left with no other option than to ride on the road for some of the journey.

Not only was there no way of getting his scooter off the footpath and on to the road on the Ouse St side of the roundabout, there was an extra steep incline, and the kerbing was higher than the footpath around the corners.

‘‘You just can’t get over it with anything with wheels on.’’

Mr Chalmers, who is in his 90s, said he had approached the Waitaki District Council about the problem. He had been told to go another way, but that was easier said than done.

Reed St was quieter than Thames Hwy, and the battery on his mobility scooter was at risk of going flat on a longer route, he said.

‘‘I’m thinking of all people, not just myself, you know. It’s rather inconvenient, and if anybody got hurt there, that kerbing, it’s over a foot high. You can’t climb up over there, well elderly people and youngsters, you could slip back into the road and ‘goodbye’.’’

The roundabout at the Reed and Eden St intersection had three places to cross, and Mr Chalmers did not understand why something similar had not been done at this one.

‘‘This one’s got one before the roundabout, and it’s in a silly place. If you’re going along...