JustBeingCP

I wrote to the Minister for Roads and Local Transport Richard Holden MP about my successful pavement campaign and the need more dropped kerbs on England’s roads on Thursday the 27th of October, 2022.

I shared with the minister how it had taken me a number of years and the help of the media for Herefordshire Council to listen to the concerns that I was attempting to raise with with them.

I also spoke about how his predecessor Chris Heaton-Harris had informed me that where local authorities spend there allocation of roads and pavement funding was a matter for them and not Central Government.

I finished off by informing the minister that Herefordshire Council had spent upwards of £55,000 on installing 16 pairs of dropped kerbs on Harrow Road and Plough Lane in Hereford, I also asked if I could meet with him as the minister for Roads and Local Transport to discuss my successful campaign and our national pavement issue.

He responded to my letter dated the 27th of October, 2022 on the 31st of January this year, confirming that I was already aware that it was a decision for local authorities where to spend there funding allocation for roads and the pavement network.

The minister ended his response on the 31st of January by inviting me to meet with him to discuss the important issue of accessible pavements in further detail. I travelled to Great Minister House in the capital on Tuesday the 7th of March for my meeting with Minister Holden.

I asked a number of questions during the 30 minute meeting and those questions were based around my campaign and the accessibility of our pavement network:

Question 1: Do you agree that the state of England’s pavement network isn’t to the standard required for those who use wheelchairs & mobility scooters?.

Question 2: How does the government plan to improve the state of England’s pavement network for those who use wheelchairs & mobility scooters?.

Question 3: Can the government remind locals authorities of there responsibilities when it comes to both maintaining hedges next to pavements and enforcing pavement parking rules?.

Question 4: Can you as the minister for roads and local transport ask the cabinet member for Transport and Infrastructure at Herefordshire Council why it took 4 years for them to act and ensure that the counties roads are no longer an accident waiting to happen for those who use wheelchairs & mobility scooters?.

Question 5: How can you ensure that Active Travel Measures (ATM’s) are accessible for those who use wheelchairs & mobility scooters?.

My pavement accessibility campaign was even mentioned in the House of Commons on the 20th of April by the Right Hon Jesse Norman MP.

Common’s Mention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOUm-JllwkQ.

I then went onto provide the minister and his team official’s who were also in attendance with a number of recommendations, which I have set out once again below:

Recommendation A: Signage on roads where there are no drop curbs warning drivers that those who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters maybe on the road network.

I explained to the minister that if their had been signage on Harrow Road & Plough Lane in Hereford then I believe that motorists would have slowed down on the approach to me before I actually came into there view.

I also explained to him that I had been on the receiving end of some near misses during the last 4 years when travelling on the roads of Harrow Road & Plough Lane in Hereford.

I recalled the near miss that I had with a high performance vehicle when meeting with officials from Herefordshire Council in February last year.

Recommendation B: A better reporting system for roads where there are no drop curbs – forcing the disabled community to use the road as our pavement. 

I explained to minister Holden why I believe there is real need for a better reporting system when it comes to the reporting of roads with no or a lack of drop curbs on them.

I went onto tell him that I believe it should work in the same way as the reporting for pot holes that some local authorities use.

Those using wheelchairs and mobility scooters would be able to report the location of the road that has either no or a lack of drop curbs so that it can be investigated by the local authority.

Recommendation C: More education is needed to explain the dangers of pavement parking to motorists for those who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters. 

When explaining my third recommendation to the minister I told him that there needs to be more education or a better education programme for motorists with regards to the dangers of pavement parking for who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

I also explained to him that there is a real need for a hard hitting series of videos by the disabled community, especially those who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters talking about there experiences of having to get around pavement parking.

Recommendation D: Local Authorities should consider appointing an accessibility champion to inform them of public opinion when it comes to improvements of our pavement network. 

The final recommendation that I presented to the minister involves each local authority across England appointing an accessibility champion to work with them on improving the accessibility of roads and pavements under their care.

This is something that I feel is desperately needed so that the disabled communities meaning of accessible is the same as there local authorities.

I ended the meeting by asking if the minister could write to Herefordshire Council on my behalf to ascertain why it could Herefordshire Council 4 years to act on my concerns, The Department for Transport never received an explanation from the council in relation to this matter.

I was invited back to Great Minister House in July to meet with official’s from Active Travel England, where were discussed how they are getting the disabled community more active through walking and cycling.

I provided the team from ATE (Active Travel England) with some recommendations and explanations which I have set out below:

Recommendation A: More accessible routes in rural areas so that wheelchair and mobility scooter users can go walking in the countryside with family and friends. 

Recommendation A Explained: If there were more accessible countryside walking and cycling routes then I for one would take full advantage of these because it would mean that I could go out with friends and family walking in the countryside and this something that I am currently unable to do.

Recommendation B: The creation of an interactive map pinpointing where there are accessible walking routes for those who use wheelchairs & mobility scooters. 

Recommendation B Explained: n interactive map of accessible walking and cycling routes would help those who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters to locate these routes with ease when out and about with friends and family.

Recommendation C: Local authorities across the nation should consider appointing an Active Travel accessibility champion.

Recommendation C Explained: f every local authority across England had an Active Travel accessibility champion, then these individuals would be able to advise their local authorities on how to make Active Travel accessible for all.

Recommendation D: Active Travel England & Department for Transport need to look at ways to make schemes such as the Beryl and Boris bikes accessible for those who have disabilities.

Recommendation D Explained: If the Boris and Beryl bike schemes were accessible to those with disabilities then I believe that these groups would take advantage of the schemes – something that we aren’t currently able to do.

I then went onto ask those in attendance a number of questions which I have listed below:

Question 1: As the minister for Active Travel will you commit to working with me and people like Joe Skinner from Burnley when looking at how accessible Active Travel is?

Question 2: Do you think it is important that young people like the students at Hereward College in Coventry are listened to when the DFT are making decisions around Active Travel etc?

Question 3: Do you believe that there is an issue with England’s infrastructure preventing those who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters from participating in Active Travel?

The fruits of my labour came to fruition in November after years of hard work to engage with officials from West Midlands Trains. I finally secured an initial meeting with Johnny Wiseman, the organisations Passenger Experience Director and his team in late November at Witton Lane station in Birmingham.

I shared my hellish experiences of travelling to and from the station on match-days at Villa park and provided them with a number of solutions to the challenges that I face and I have set these out below:

Solution 1: Ramp should be available at Witton with trained staff to operate prior to the trains arrival so that supporters requiring assistance can board trains with ease in a timely manner.

Solution 1 Explained: This will allow wheelchairs users and others with mobility issues requiring assistance to board services first prior to the other passengers/football supporters boarding the train because this leaves no room for us to board the service safely and find the designated accessible seating area onboard.

Solution 2: WMT staff should either be aware of where the accessible sections of the trains are located prior to there arrival at the station or not communicate information to disabled supporters upon there arrival at the station, this will complicate our ease in boarding trains home.

Solution 2 Explained: Staff should be aware of where the accessible sections of the train are, however this will depend on what type of train it is and how many cars it has got. Passengers won’t become stressed or frustrated by being given the wrong information, I and others would appreciate the answer I am not sure sorry if staff aren’t aware.

Solution 3: Security staff/ those employed by WMT should protect disabled supporters requiring the use of a ramp once they are in position close to the area where the correct door will be located so that we can board the train first where possible. 

Solution 3 Explained: There was an occasion where I and another wheelchair supporter were protected by security staff who were at the station prior to a trains arrival at the station, this ensured that we were able to board the train first once the senior conductor had found us on the platform at Witton Lane Station it would be good if this could happen on more occasions where there are no WMT staff available with a ramp.

Solution 4: WMT staff at Witton should call ahead to the Assisted Travel Lounge (ATL) at Birmingham New Street to advise them that there are supporters requiring the use of a ramp once we have arrived at the station from Witton. 

Solution 4 Explained: It would be helpful if WMT staff at Witton Lane Station called ahead to the ATL (Assisted Travel Lounge) at Birmingham New Street (BNS) when the senior conductor has had to drop the ramp because there are no WMT staff available to do so at Witton, this would help to ensure that there is someone from the passenger assistance team at New Street with a ramp upon our arrival.

The team from West Midlands Trains agreed to trial wall and floor signage at Witton Lane station, indicating where those requiring assistance to board trains are to wait on the platforms post match.

I have since been consulted on designs and visited the station once again to help determine the locations of the chosen signage on each of the platforms, I think it is fair to say that I am excited to see the signage in place at Witton in the months.

I know that this is a very long and boring blog but I wanted to celebrate my big successes of last year with you, my readers and followers.

If you would like to receive my blogs direct to your inbox once they have been published, subscribe here: https://just-being-cp.co.uk/.

I would like to take the opportunity to wish all of my followers a happy new year and every success for the year ahead.

Cam