JustBeingCP

This morning I have written to Jesse Norman MP, minister of state at the Department for transport and Hereford and South Herefordshire MP.

As many of my readers and followers will know I have been campaigning for equal access to our pavement network for those using wheelchairs and mobility scooters since 2018.

Last year I wrote to Chris Heaton Harris who at the time was the minister in the department of transport.

In his response to the concerns that I raised about our national pavement network I was told that it was down to individual local authorities to decide where they spent funding allocated for pavements and roads.

When I received this news I stepped up my campaign to lobby Herefordshire Council and the Cabinet member for transport and infrastructure on this issue.

Earlier this year £55,000 was allocated to conduct a countywide pavement review and this led to 17 pairs of drop curbs being installed across our county.

After the success I then wrote to the leaders of Stoke-on-Trent, Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Worcestershire councils urging them to consider conducting their own countywide pavement review.

Today I am beginning to my fight once again to show his Majesty’s government that we desperately need a national pavement review because as a disability rights campaigner and wheelchair user I understand what it is like to be forced to risk my own safety when travelling around the country.

In my letter to Jesse I have asked for a meeting with him and his colleagues to discuss this issue further and then potentially show them the issue behind the lack of drop kerbs.

I will probably be yet again told that it is down to local authorities to allocate this type of funding however I am going to make it my mission to show the government in Westminster why our Pavement network is quite frankly an accident waiting to happen for many disabled people across the United Kingdom.

If Herefordshire Council are able to spend £55,000 on rectifying this issue then why can’t central government put funding into doing exactly the same.

Since going public with my campaign I have been contacted by many disabled people who have told me that they are in similar situations where they live.

I am excited to see what response I will get from both Jesse and his colleagues on this issue and I hope that if I get the opportunity to meet with them they will understand what it is like having to risk our own safety to be as independent as possible.

As always I would like to thank both my readers and followers taking the time out of your busy schedules to read yet another one of my blogs.

Cam