by Andy Gray
agray@thekmgroup.co.uk

The parents of a disabled woman are suing Maidstone council after she took an agonising fall in King Street.

Julia Knight suffered broken fingers and a suspected fractured wrist when she fell by a bus stop outside the former Evans clothes store, where the pavement has been redesigned as part of the £2m town centre regeneration.

Miss Knight, 45, who lives in Union Street with her parents and has severe learning difficulties and autism, misjudged the step down from the kerb into the road, taking a tumble.

She was taken to hospital where it was discovered she had broken three fingers on her right hand.

Her right wrist was also put in plaster as a precaution.

Julia's mum Edna Woolfries, 72, said: “If my husband hadn’t been holding Julia’s hand she would’ve smashed her face as well. She has a high pain level and we didn’t know anything was wrong until she got up the next morning."

The KM has been notified of up to 20 incidents where people have fallen and been injured after misjudging the height of the pavement by the High Street’s taxi rank and bus stops.

Last month the council painted thin yellow lines along parts of the High Street and King Street marking the boundary of the kerb and road.

A council spokesman said: “KCC, the Highways Authority, has stated that the scheme has been reviewed in detail by their safety officers at several stages and was found to comply with the relevant necessary design and safety standards.
“Notwithstanding our view that the arrangements are safe, the situation is being reviewed to see if any improvements can be made.