THE condition of a Chelsea laneway has residents worried about potential injuries.
Maury Lane in Chelsea has a bluestone surface. The lane, covered in makeshift asphalt repairs, is now sunken and uneven.
A letter written by former Kingston Council interim CEO Tim Tamlin seen by The News read that council was aware of the issues as early as 2021 and was planning to reconstruct the path in 2022.
Nearby residents have contacted The News to say that they fear that people will be hurt if the laneway isn’t redeveloped. In a statement, Kingston Council said that a full reconstruction is in the planning stage, but works are not expected to begin for at least two years.
“Council is aware of the condition of Maury Lane and in September 2022 provided options to the residents to reconstruct the laneway, while retaining elements of the existing bluestone surface,” Kingston Council said. “The residents responded that they would like to see Maury Lane fully reconstructed with new bluestone pavers however, which has impacted on the original timeframe.
“A trial repair was undertaken in June 2023 to inform further works. This involved repairing portions of the laneway with existing bluestone pavers. Based on the outcome of this trial, additional repairs are being scheduled. A full reconstruction of Maury Lane with bluestone paving is being planned as part of our capital works program, however, these works are not scheduled to take place within the next two years. In the interim we will continue to maintain the existing laneway.
“It is important to note that Maury Lane is used by both vehicles and pedestrians and bluestone pavers, as historically laid, do not provide a smooth walking surface for pedestrians with special mobility needs.”
First published in the Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News – 24 January 2024