MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
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...someone* can install a deliberately spiky fence alongside a public footpath? One trip/bike fall...
I am increasingly noticing (mainly old) spiky steel fences alongside paths and schools etc. Not 6-10' high ones, proper at waist or eye level. I was in a school this week that has brand new 4' high steel spike fence installed - and yet is a 'seriously risk averse' council (and I quote the H&S manager who I was meeting there on that).
This is near us - mixed use path including section of national cycle route.
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You can't really try to prevent people accessing somewhere they ain't supposed to be by putting up a line of soft cushions. It wouldn't work.
Don't know really. I'm on the fence about it.
I'm willing to bet that the price for 'spiky' fence was less than 'non-spiky' and it still met the specs, so the persons ordering it though "yep that'll do me"
rather than some other more meaningful process.
write the the owners pointing out the risks? Especially the school one
Especially the school one
I had a meeting with the H&S school trips manager - refusing to allow the school to cross one small residential road and use the woodland visible and 20metres from heads office without high ratio's and full individual parent permissions and risk assessment every time it was used.
He was of the opinion that a spiky fence posed not risk to the children...where I saw it as the major risk...!
Matt....i know a teacher who needs those things to go out in the school garden,which is an enclosed court yard in the middle of the building .....
Heads are mental.
You shouldn't surprised that people lack insight. A lot of people just act in a dogmatic manner 'cos it's the easy thing to do and absolves them of any responsibility.
.i know a teacher who needs those things to go out in the school garden,which is an enclosed court yard in the middle of the building .....
England?
I can maybe help...
You shouldn't surprised that people lack insight.
It does surprise me is that decision making process, in such a risk averse world, ends up with a thought that this a good thing...
No , scotchland.
Even better.
What Local Authority?
Present the council evidence of how many people have hurt themselves on the fence since it was erected.
Matt where is that picture taken above?
If it is a shared use facility ie cyclists on there as well then the fence is a big no no. In my former career of 20 years I was a road accident investigator and road safety auditor, and would regularly carry out audit's on proposed and completed highway infrastructure schemes in accordance with the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (basically the UK roads design bible). In fact I carried out over 300 all over the UK, a lot of which were pedestrian and cycle schemes.
There is no way that should have got through to construction and in my experience the spiky fence would have been designed out at a pre construction audit. Had it actually made it to construction it would not have passed a post construction audit and should require modification or replacement.
I would suggest you contact the relevant local authority and take it further with their road safety team if they have one, and specifically the safety auditors. If it hasn't been audited then they need to explain why.
If I remember correctly you are aberfeldy area? Not 100% sure as it's been a while but I think your LA would be Perth & Kinross. I would also raise it with the Community Council.
That is Dunblane, Faery Bridge off Auchinlay Road/Kilbryde Crescent.
It is NCN 765, core path, walking to school route etc on all sorts of plans.
Edit: that fence has been there a loooong time. It was just one I knew there was a picture of.
Don't know really. I'm on the fence about it.
I bet you are in agony 🙂
I'm with you 100%, also, see barbed wire alongside bridleways where there are no animals.
It's lazy thinking and it permeates every walk of life.
I see it on the Sustrans website now.
I'd refer it to Sustrans too and see what they have to say. LA is Stirling Council and they definitely have a Road Safety Section and a team of Road Safety Auditors, I've worked with them on a handful of occasions.
A new strategy to thin out the UK population? 😉
Ignore, weird double post
I've heard more than one story about a kid attempting to climb over a spiky fence and impaling themselves.
OP - just nip out with an angle grinder and take all the pointy bits off. Job done.
Very surprised at this as there is a presumption against barbed wire alongside highways but also including paths.ie.
Highways Act 1980
Section 164 (Injurious toppings)
The local highway authority has a duty to ensure the safe use of the public highway and this section deals with the problems of injurious toppings on fences and walls that are so low that they could easily injure a person simply walking along the public footway.