April 24 Combined - Flipbook - Page 7
News Hayling Herald
Drop kerb promise for new path
HAVANT Borough Council has been criticised
for building a new accessible pathway to the
beach – that isn’t accessible to people in wheelchairs or mobility scooters, pictured right.
The pathway stretches from Staunton Avenue
to the shoreline with a pathway that makes the
beach much easier to traverse for everyone, no
matter their ability. It will be the end point of the
Billy Trail once the work on that is complete.
Unfortunately, at the point where the path
starts in Staunton Avenue, there is no drop-down
kerb to enable beachgoers in wheelchairs to get
onto the path.
Dr Aaron Pycroft said he was dumbfounded
by the mistake. He said: ‘The new footpath that
joins Staunton Avenue with the beach, is inaccessible to people who use wheelchairs and mobility
scooters.
‘Why cannot a dropped kerb be provided with
the same on the Staunton Avenue side to enable
access? Surely this provision would constitute
a reasonable adjustment under the Equalities
Act (2010) and without which the design is a
blatant example of institutional and structural
disablism?’
In a statement the council said the plan is to
create a drop kerb but it has been difficult to
schedule because of the number of landowners
involved.
However, it is hoped the dropped kerb will be
installed by the summer.
‘The importance of accessibility is understood
and appreciated by the council,’ they said in a
statement. ‘A drop crossing to Staunton Avenue
has always been part of the plans for the path,
but the timetable has been dictated by a number
of requirements.
‘To allow the current path to be laid, the council had to work closely with Natural England, and
seized a time-limited window of opportunity to
construct the path in January 2024. The path is
on Havant Borough Council land, but to install
a drop kerb permission is required from Hampshire County Council as it is on their highway.
‘Havant Borough Council has provided funds
to install the drop kerb (courtesy of the Community Infrastructure Levy) and final checks are
underway with Hampshire County Council.
‘Work on the drop kerb is expected to be completed early this summer.’
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