Who put that there? Pedestrians forced to side-step utility cabinet

Pedestrians in Christchurch were surprised to have to side-step a large utility cabinet which has popped up in the middle of a busy footpath. 

Apartment developers on Stanmore Road have widened the busy thoroughfare between Cashel and Hereford Sts, leaving a telecommunications utility cabinet blocking the path.

Christchurch City Council claims it's only received one complaint about the cabinet so far.

They insist the location of the Chorus-owned telecommunications utility cabinet hasn't changed, and say the recent construction of apartments in the area has seen the fenceline pushed back, making the footpath slightly wider.

The developer has then rebuilt the footpath around the utility cabinet.

One puzzled and annoyed resident says it has left very limited space either side of the box and reckons it's nuts.

Other baffled locals are raising concerns about people with mobility issues who struggle to get past the wide obstacle.

The city council says it's now trying to contact the developer to ask if it can "agree to add additional footpath material, either side of the manhole and cabinet, to give more footpath width to the sides and around the cabinet".

No date for any improvements has been set.

- By Geoff Sloan
Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air