The Ashburton District Council maintains and administers on behalf of the District’s Ratepayers, a total of over 209km of formed footpaths. The district’s footpaths provide for the safe and convenient movement of pedestrians, generally in urban areas. The footpath network provides social and cultural benefits to the people of the district by enabling them to get to and from their place of work or school and for people to move around the community to meet in social, sporting, work or cultural events.
A safe and effective footpath network encourages people to walk or jog to destinations rather than drive and so can deliver environmental benefits as well. Footpaths also allow people to move around their community in ways that enable them to enjoy the environmental and aesthetic features of their community.
Council is obliged to take into account numerous issues when administering the District’s footpaths. Some of these are:
- Footpath Construction
- Footpath Maintenance
- Pedestrian Crossings
- Street Furniture
- Lighting
- Access onto footpaths
- Utility services
- Cleaning
- Vegetation encroachment
- Mobility Impaired Users
Each year, approximately 15 to 20 kilometres of footpath are resurfaced. Current Council policy is to use asphaltic concrete for all new footpaths and all resurfacing. The actual sections and lengths of footpaths proposed for resurfacing each year are included in Council’s Annual Plan which is available for perusal at the Council office. All new footpaths constructed by either land developers or the Council, must comply with the requirements of NZ Standard 4404: Code of Practice for Urban Land Subdivision, and also codes and standards for blind and mobility impaired pedestrians, wheelchairs and mobility scooters.
Funding for the maintenance of footpaths is provided by rates, which also fund new footpaths, footpath resurfacing and new kerb and channeling.