I read in April’s edition of the Star the proposition to extend the pavement further up Oxford Street. But because the residents of Esther Street have been requesting a footpath for many years now I thought it would not get any traction given the reply to us was always that there was no money available.
However it now appears that there is a ‘possibility’ that this is being taken seriously. I find this very hard to understand for the following reasons.
For years we have requested a footpath and have been constantly refused. Esther street is so narrow it does not even qualify for a centre white line, it has many potholes and dangerous edges mostly at the entrance to properties. Last year my wife fell requiring a trip to the Masterton Hospital with a suspected broken ankle!
At the top of Oxford street is a high end and admittedly superb housing estate and I really wonder just how many of these people walk to town or vice versa, just who would be using this footpath?
In comparison Esther Street has a very popular Motel and several homestays, many guests arrive via the buses and trundle their wheeled suitcases up and down the street – not easy given the condition of the road. In the evening they can be seen heading towards town for a meal and returning in the murky darkness much later.
This roads is also used by many walkers and dog walkers utilizing the pavement at the top connecting to the Campbell Drive.
Are the residents of Esther Street completely invisible to the Council or what?
George Sanderson
