Wheelchair user left stranded in middle of Dunedin intersection

Dunedin business owner Liane Craig says contractors need to clean up debris in Great King St after uncleared rocks halted her wheelchair. Photo / Peter McIntosh

The Otago Regional Council says Fulton Hogan has to "do better" after debris left on the road left a woman stranded in her wheelchair in the middle of an intersection.

Fulton Hogan is working on Great King St to create the regional council's new bus hub.

Business owner Liane Craig has co-run her St Andrew St business, Pop-In Emporium, for three weeks.

She said after the contractors finished work on the St AndrewSt-Great King St intersection, they left the road littered with rocks.

Earlier this week she ventured on to the intersection for the first time in three weeks, she said.

She crossed the road, dodging rocks.

"When I came back, as I was swerving to not hit a rock, another that I didn't see hit my wheelchair."

This threw her off balance, but she managed to stop from tipping by saving herself with her "good leg".

However, the stumble knocked the motor off her wheelchair.

"I was stranded in the middle of the road. Three men came running to help me."

She was not the only one having problems, she said.

"There were several old ladies having to circumvent pieces. I saw another lady sprain her ankle."

"The bus hub will be great for the city, but they haven't ensured public safety. They've done the work and then just left it."

Regional council support services manager Gerard Collings said its staff saw these issues before the incident and raised them with the contractors.

"I'm not happy that the incident happened."

Part of the issue was work on that intersection under the street was halted after an as-yet unidentified concrete structure was discovered in the middle of the road, he said.

"That said, Fulton Hogan should do better. I've been personally in touch with Liane and am happy to hear that she's OK."

Council staff met contractors yesterday afternoon to discuss the situation, he said.

The Otago Daily Times was unable to obtain comment from Fulton Hogan yesterday.