Independent Member for Alfred Cove Dr Janet Woollard has learned that the City of Melville has engaged surveyors to provide a report on the condition of footpaths in the Electorate.

“I was pleasantly surprised to see a little buggy marked ‘Footpath Survey Unit’ outside my office one day and through a conversation with the gentlemen driving it learned that the City of Melville has engaged a private company to conduct the survey,” said Dr Woollard.

Dr Woollard said the survey is intended to provide a “health report” on the state of footpaths in the City of Melville. The survey is conducted by Asset Management specialists from Cardno, an engineering and professional services consultancy who drive a special-purpose survey vehicle to make a video recording of the footpaths they travel on. Using specifically developed Global Positioning System technology and data capture software, the surveyors would capture the coordinates of the location of any defects that they find along the footpaths.

“I was informed by the surveyors that the survey will highlight problems such as cracks and deformations, as well as problems known as ‘stepping’ where the grounds are of different levels and may cause people to trip,” said Dr Woollard.

“A map of all the footpaths in the suburbs, as well as areas where there are damages will be provided to the City of Melville at the end of the five-week survey.

“The City of Melville has informed me that the survey and audit is part of its Asset Management Plan to assess all assets within its control, with the results to be used to coordinate the future works program, as well as development of the Footpath Network.

“I hope the City will provide the community with the results of this survey to improve the safety of the footpaths.” Said Dr Woollard.

“I will be asking the City to make the Asset management audit available to the community” said Dr Woollard.

Dr Woollard noted that members of the community who have concerns regarding the footpaths near where they live should notify the City of Melville on 1300 635 845.

A similar footpath survey was conducted for the Town of Kwinana by Cardno earlier this year.