'Bizarre' bike-shaped barrier at 'hazard' steps slammed

The entrance to Carpenders Park station, in South Oxhey, was transformed with the creation of new shops and a public space in a project that was completed in 2020.

One issue that users had with the design is that there is a set of steps at the bottom of Station Approach, which is otherwise largely sloped, that come at an incline and have quite a complex and uneven design.

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Residents have pushed for changes, describing the steps as a “hazard” for the visually impaired and saying that they “never should have been built like this”.

Eventually, an ad-hoc barrier made up of bars extending from the handrail and metal structures in the shape of barriers were put in to block it off.

Watford Rural Parish Council clerk Gareth Williams has long been pushing for changes. He described the situation as “wrong on so many levels” and said that it creates another problem for the visually impaired, as there is no barrier at the bottom of the steps.

The barriers in Station Approach. (Image: Watford Rural Parish Council) “It is unacceptable that our community is expected to tolerate these unsafe and unsightly design flaws indefinitely,” a statement from the parish council added.

South Oxhey and Eastbury county councillor Christopher Alley said: “The blocked off steps at Carpenders Park Station do cause me concern regarding the safety for the visually impaired.

The barriers in Station Approach. (Image: Watford Rural Parish Council) “Not only does the attempt to fix the safety concern by a single rail and ornamental bikes look bizarre, but it shows that the safety issues are an afterthought.

“I have been working to get this resolved before the area is handed over to county council, but if it requires works to be carried out after then, I will ensure that the current state of those steps is rectified.”

Steps in Station Approach. (Image: Watford Rural Parish Council) A spokesperson for Vistry Group, which created the development, said: “The public realm around Carpenders Park station and the retail units at Station Approach has been designed and built in accordance with both building regulations and the approval of the highway authority, to be a welcoming and accessible space for all.

“Safety is of the utmost importance for us and so we will work with residents and the parish council to discuss any concerns they may have.”