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Council that spent £1MILLION on pavements are forced to spend thousands more because they’re TOO SLIPPERY

By David Baker

Published: 16:17 EDT, 9 March 2012 | Updated: 16:17 EDT, 9 March 2012



Having spent a £1million on brand new paving a council could fork out thousands more after being inundated by complaints the stones are too slippery.

The authorities in Bolton are looking at splashing a further £13,500 for an anti-algae treatment after the costly pavement was causing people to slide in the town centre's historic Churchgate.

Officers claim the slippery surface there is caused mainly by overhanging trees from the Parish Church grounds, however, the council is now thinking of treating other recently laid stretches. Costly: Paving slabs across Bolton are proving costly after they were deemed too slippery

Bolton Council resurfaced historic Churchgate in 2006 and the same smooth stone flags were laid across the town centre last year - in Deansgate, Knowsley Street and Oxford Road - at a cost of £467,000.

And despite being laid just last year the anti-algae treatment would still be applied to every new surface in the town centre.




Liberal Democrat councillor David Wilkinson said: 'It’s been badly thought out and badly planned.

'They will have to spend the money now, but it could have been spent elsewhere.

'Did nobody consider this problem before these new paving stones were laid?.' Badly planned: Bolton Councillor David Wilkinson has hit out at the costly paving saying it was badly thought out and badly planned

Totally resurfacing the pavements in Churchgate was briefly considered, but this option would be too expensive.

The issue of slippery surfaces was raised at a recent confidential Environment Policy Development Group council meeting.

The council said consideration was always given to site conditions when selecting paving materials.

A spokesman added: 'The paving stone selected for the Churchgate site was fully compliant to UK standards.

'However, given the logistics of the site, we have been made aware of a build-up of algae.

'We are looking into the prospect of increasing the cleaning frequencies and using an anti-algae spray as a possible solution.

'This would need to be tested first to see if it is successful and, if so, we would look to treat the areas of Churchgate, Deansgate, Knowsley Street and Oxford Road.'

News of the possible anti-algae treatment received a mixed reaction from traders in Churchgate.

Ibrahim Patel, owner of Churchgate News, said: 'I hope it works because a lot of people slip.

'The ice and the risk of slipping does affect our business. People are wary that they might slip here and tend to go elsewhere, to streets where there aren’t cobbles. It is worth a try.'


Council that spent £1MILLION on pavements are forced to spend thousands more because they¿re TOO SLIPPERY



