Bins, scooters and broken glass - the daily nightmare for some footpath users

Wheelchair users, parents with pushchairs and other footpath users are forced to take on dangerous routes to avoid obstacles in their way on a daily basis. So what's being done about it - Polly Wenlock finds out.

Electric scooters, parked cars, broken glass and rubbish bins are some of the key offenders blocking footpath access.

"People who aren't affected by it don't consider it, simply because it doesn't occur to them to", said Noah Corsac, a Christchurch-based wheelchair user.

For Corsac, bin day might be the most recurrent issue, but a host of other footpath obstacles also frequently crop up. "Electric scooters is a big one, also people parking over the footpath when their driveway is part of the footpath," he said.

"Some other ones that come to mind just recently are council/city works involving the footpath, like for water repairs — they cut giant holes out of the footpath and these are not fixed immediately, rendering half of the footpath unusable to me."

Often the only alternative is the least safe. "I had to roll in the road itself for a good few metres until I could find a driveway suitable to use to get back on the path," he said.

Corsac said his local council has been receptive to complaints. "The bus shelter I used pretty regularly had its glass panels smashed which made it impossible for me to use the bus stop or nearby footpath without having to roll over it.

"The council would clean this up pretty quickly, except they would then sweep any small piles of leftover glass shards into the space in the shelter with no seating. So effectively they turned the space that's intended for wheelchairs and prams into a space that would risk popped tyres."

"I spoke to them about it - to their absolute credit, I never once saw the glass get swept that way again."

However, Corsac says between council, private business and personal items it's often hard to know where exactly to appeal. The issue may be caused by the bin collectors or by residents, for example.

Elise Copeland, Auckland Council's principal specialist of universal design, said accessibility is a priority.

"Since 2013, the council's standard footpath width has been 1800mm which is the space in which a wheelchair needs to turn," she said.

When planning for future urban developments, Copeland said the council relies on guidelines which cater to all footpath users, and that they plan to ensure this is a requirement in future.

"While these guidelines are not law, the council has initiated a plan change to make some of this good practice a requirement," she said.

This issue is also close to the heart of Living Streets Aotearoa, an organisation focused on making footpaths more accessible for all.

The group said it advocates with submissions on roading plans and inclusive pedestrian environments.

This includes clear widths for pathways, smooth surfacing, a navigable slope and a logical design. It should have the appropriate tactile, audible and visual requirements for people with a vision, cognitive or physical impairment.

The group said it does not support the use of scooters on the footpath and wants to highlight the inconsiderate nature of footpath parking.

"We have also been talking with local authorities to encourage them to step up enforcement of footpath parking and to accept photos sent in by members of the public as sufficient evidence for issuing infringement notices," it said in a statement.

"This change would enable local authorities to much more effectively enforce the law and discourage people from parking on footpaths."

Justine Haves of GM Waste Solutions in Tamaki Makaurau acknowledged the scale and complexity of the issue.

"Auckland Council empties around 250,000 bins each day, so while we can't guarantee every bin will be perfectly placed at all times, we actively work to mitigate issues and maintain accessible footpaths for all mobility users," he said.

Haves pointed to some things the public could do to ease the burden on footpath users and bin collectors alike: "Put their bins out the night before collection or by 7am at the latest and to bring them back in as soon as practical after they’re emptied.

"Residents are also advised to place bins close to the kerb to allow safe access for both collection trucks and people using the footpath."