Council’s Assets and Services Committee today agreed, subject to Council approval in April, that Blenheim and Picton’s slippery-when-wet street pavers will soon be a thing of the past.

Installed in various New Zealand towns and cities during the 1990’s and 2000’s, the glazed clay pavers in Blenheim and Picton are about to become a lot more resistant.

From July this year the clay pavers will receive a deep steam clean before they are re-sanded and treated with an improved ‘slip stop treatment’ in an effort to increase slip resistance.

Council Assets and Services Manager Richard Coningham said although the pavers have been treated in the past to prevent them being so slippery, we now have access to improved treatments which will provide longer term resistance.

“While the treatment option is not a permanent fix, and is likely to need reapplying every four to six years; it is the most cost effective. The other option presented to the Committee would require the replacement of all of the clay pavers which is estimated to cost over $2 million,” Richard said.

“As most of the clay footpath paving in Blenheim and Picton’s CBD’s is more than 20 years old, it’s likely that it will be replaced within the next 20 years, making treating now and replacing in the future the most cost effective option.

“We know a number of people in Blenheim and Picton have suffered injuries after slipping over on the pavers, especially when it is wet. It’s great that we have a solution to reduce this from occurring in future,” Richard said.

ENDS

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