Doncaster Council unwilling to change high kerb after elderly woman suffers injuries in fall

Jean, an elderly resident in Doncaster, suffered cuts and serious bruising to her face after falling from a 30cm high kerb when attempting to cross Thorne Road, Wheatley, in April.

She was attempting to cross the road to reach a bus stop, hoping to travel to the M&S store in Doncaster city centre to purchase biscuits.

“There was no traffic about,” Jean told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), “The bus stop was over the road. I just tried to cross to it… I just went down and that was it.”

Despite crossing in the morning sunshine, Jean said she did not notice the increased height of the kerb as the pavement she was crossing to was at a normal level.

Jean fell into the road and sustained cuts and bruises to her face, as well as two black eyes.

Her fall has drawn the attention of former City of Doncaster Councillors Tosh and Nikki McDonald.

Nikki said: “We were walking on the lower bit of pavement on the other side [of the road] and we saw Jean with an ambulance and a car with its hazards on.”

The McDonalds have since been in regular contact with the City of Doncaster Council, including executive director of place Dan Swaine and chief executive Damian Allen.

They had hoped to persuade the council to install a deterrent which would stop people from stepping off the higher kerb and potentially suffering a similar fall to Jean.

However, the LDRS understands these suggestions – which included a potential metal barrier or a written warning stenciled onto the kerbside – have been rejected.

Instead, emails from council staff suggested pedestrians should have been using the crossings provided on Thorne Road.

“I have been crossing roads all my life and I never expected the road to be so deep,” Jean told the LDRS in response.

“There’s nothing to indicate the road is deeper,” she added.

The McDonalds roped in sitting Doncaster councillors Steve and Jane Cox for assistance, after finding their concerns were falling on deaf ears.

Mr Cox said: “We shouldn’t have to wait until someone dies for something to be done. We know there’s a problem, we have seen that now with Jean.”

The City of Doncaster Council did not respond when asked for a response by the LDRS.

The abnormally high kerb along Thorne Road was implemented alongside cycle lanes running from the junction with the Wheatley Hotel pub.

It is understood the high kerbs were necessary to protect the roots of trees running alongside Thorne Road.