Black instead of red chip for footpaths

People are keen on red chip but sometimes it creates a patchwork effect. Picture / Richard Robinson

The days of distinctive red chip footpaths in Auckland City are all but over in a major policy reversal drawn up by senior officers with virtually no input from residents.

Red-chip concrete was voted tops by the public after an extensive consultation process three years ago but instead of laying the popular material in mostly heritage and character areas, council officers dropped the policy 18 months ago and allowed streets due for red-chip to be paved in black concrete.

Transport general manager Dr Stephen Rainbow told the Herald last month that officers would go back to the politicians recommending a new policy that would retain red chip in the eastern and western suburbs. This has since been dropped in favour of paving every residential street in black concrete.

The only suburban exceptions are streets where red chip concrete has begun and not been completed.

The central business district, town centres, retail and business areas and parks too are exempt from black concrete.

Officers have also recommended doing away with asphalt where tree roots are a problem and going with black concrete for consistency though extra care would have to be taken when undertaking repairs around trees.

The recommendations go to a combined meeting of the council's transport and arts, culture and recreation committees tomorrow.

Instead of consulting the wider community on the policy change, officers based their recommendations on a focus group exercise of 32 people.

Dr Rainbow yesterday defended the decision not to consult with the wider community.

Using four focus groups of eight people had been an objective and fair exercise that had a significant influence on the recommendations.

He said the cost of laying red chip and black concrete were about the same but the council would get more "bang for its buck" as it would save on the extra cost of replacing vehicle crossings in red chip to create a consistent look and feel.

Most vehicle crossings were built using ordinary concrete that darkened over the years and did not need replacing under the black concrete option.

Dr Rainbow said black concrete was best given the extent of the impact on footpaths from development, utility operators and the need for constant reinstatement work.

"At the end of the day the most important thing is that we have consistency of look and feel and high quality footpaths," he said.

Eastern Bays councillor Toni Millar said officers were seeking to abandon a piece of Auckland's history and something that significant needed proper public consultation.

"This really affects the communities we live in."

She accused officers of dangling a red herring by emphasising the extra cost of vehicle crossings for red chip, saying the council had not laid vehicle crossings in red chip for 30 years.

Ben Russell, who has lived at Wright Rd in Pt Chevalier for 30 years, said red chip was more pleasing to the eye than black.

"It goes with the suburb. It has always been red. Why change it?" Mr Russell asked.

Western Bay community board chairman Graeme Easte said he understood that several people were keen on red chip but he recognised it had a lot of negatives such as a patchwork effect and supported the change to black concrete.