The frustrations of enjoying life in Rye for people with mobility issues was highlighted during an awareness day on Saturday, April 26.
For campaigners and allies it also showcased the dangers and obstacles faced everyday, and some of the ways the non-disabled either don’t think or care about their concerns.
Wheelchair users and people with mobility scooters started a tour around Rye at 10am at the Tilling Green Community Centre.
They were issued with challenges to be completed around the town; finding an accessible public toilet, a pub with a ramp, using a cashpoint and entering ten shops without difficulty. Campaigners were also asked to record some of the problems with pavements, dropped kerbs and obstacles.
Before the day began, one participant shared the abuse he had already faced getting to Tilling Green. Peter Clark travelled from Valley Park in Rye in his mobility scooter. “Cars parked on the pavement on Udimore Road make it difficult for me to pass but when I asked a car owner to move his vehicle this morning I got verbal abuse. It happens a lot.”
The lack of dropped kerbs in Rye has already been highlighted in Rye News. Streets and pavements in Rye are responsibility of East Sussex County Council, whose leader Keith Glazier joined campaigners on Saturday. “We’ve managed to get a limited number of dropped kerbs in place recently and today is very useful for highlighting the issues people face. But to be clear our budget for highway improvements is woefully inadequate, so we have to make difficult decisions.”
He confirmed the mobility day’s findings would be shared with the council’s highway steward who checks on Rye’s roads and pavements, along with his own photos and concerns.
After leaving Tilling Green the tour around Rye continued along Ferry Road before heading into town. Near the station a mobility scooter was almost hit by a passing motorist who failed to stop at the zebra crossing.
After the challenge of Market Road, wheelchair user Nikita Cunningham explored the high street. “I needed pushing up the hill and there are a lot of dropped kerbs that aren’t wheelchair-friendly. We’re not asking to change the whole town, just to make it more accessible. I want to support local businesses and spend money here.”
In an effort to show some of the issues people who wouldn’t normally use a chair also took part in the day, pushed by friends and family. Among them mayor Andy Stuart who told campaigners being wheeled around town was terrifying. “The railway crossing was appallingly difficult. We managed to get over it by reversing and pulling me across. Every small gap in the pavement was a nightmare.”
After the high street the campaigners continued down Landgate onto Fishmarket Street and the controversial wall that juts into the pavement forcing wheel chair users into the road. The day finished at Rye Bowls Club to share stories about their journey around Rye and fill in feedback forms.
Dan Lake, one of the day’s organisers, was keen to showcase the bowls club. “I’m glad we ended up here as they’ve done so much to make the club more accessible for the whole community. It’s been an amazing day. It feels like its dominated my life for months.”
Cllr Simon McGurk from Rother District Council praised Dan and fellow organisers Donna Lake and Flora Williams. “You’ve done an amazing job highlighting the issues. Rye is a beautiful old medieval town and you can only do so much, but we need to be really tenacious about making some changes to improve things. One thing I’ve picked up on is how willing Rye’s shopkeepers are willing to help.”
The results from the feedback forms are being examined this week. Rye News will have a full report on the findings next week.
Dan, Donna and Flora wanted to pass on their thanks to the community for supporting the awareness day. Including: Tilling Green Residents Association, Rye Bowls Club including the ladies who were serving the refreshments, Tilling Green Events CIC, Rye Chamber Of Commerce, Rye Hire. Hayden’s in Rye, the Cornish bakery, Rye Town Council, Rye Partnership, Rye Bonfire Society, Keith from Sweet Williams, Luke Williams, KT Bruce, tThe mayor Andy Stuart, the town Crier Paul Goring, the Hub on the Hill, Claire Debley Turner at the SunFlower Charity Shop, Graham Ellis, Cllr Simon McGurk, Louise and Keith Chapman from the fisheries and everyone at Rye News.
Image Credits: kt bruce , Kt bruce .
Last Saturday, having completed my volunteer session at our wheelchair accessible East Street Museum, I decided to walk to Lamb House. Ironically, on Rye’s Mobility awareness day, this short walk was not without obstacles:
Bushes outside a house on Market Street which used to be trimmed now take up half the path.
An A board outside the shop by the Church was taking up half the pavement.
The ridiculous pots outside houses on the way to Lamb House now force you to step off the pavement and onto the cobbles.
Later I walked along Cinque Ports Street where the pavement outside Spencer’s was completely blocked by tables and chairs.
Fortunately I am not in a wheelchair, just a little thought would improve things for those who are.
Yvonne ,
I completely agree with you about plant vegetation blocking narrow pathways and SPENCER’S tables outside block the pavement for all pedestrians. I went along there yesterday and was dismayed that they hadn’t thought about access for mobility scooters etc.
were they not made aware of last Saturdays initiative of highlighting safe access around Rye.
If they weren’t using the pavement last Saturday they would not appreciate the difficulty that it causes. More than difficulty a danger.
May be a member of the council could go to talk to them about it.
Street ‘furniture’ should be banned it causes too many difficulties for easy access for many reasons.
Is there any research on how effective advertising Aboards are? Do people just ignore them.
Well done everyone for taking part to highlight some of the issues which have to be faced. Obviously Rye isn’t a modern town with all the facilities that would offer BUT hopefully some of the suggestions even if they appear small ones could be implemented which could make a massive difference to those who have accessibility difficulties.
I was in one of those wheelchairs and I second the Mayor’s remarks about how terrifying it is to be wheeled around, totally dependent on my husband (and worrying about his health, pushing my far-from-slender self around town!) and feeling very vulnerable to the uneven pavements, not to mention the traffic whooshing by at high speed as we tried to navigate around the town safely. To say it was an eye-opening experience is an understatement.
I hope that Dan Lake and other residents with mobility challenges will be able to come up with a detailed wishlist, ranked in order of need, to give us all something to work towards. My own thought about the number one priority would be a smooth, safe route from Tilling Green to the station/Jempson’s area (with a well-enforced ban on pavement parking) but the real prioritization of needs should come from those who experience those needs every day.
The area referred to outside Spencers in Cinque Ports Street actually belongs to the premises and is not public pavement as such. However, the public pavement at the roadside IS blocked – by a post that has been erected specifically to house a sign advising parking restrictions and fees payable. It is carefully situated between two (Council owned) bollards and nicely prevents wheelchairs, buggys or parents holding the hands of small children from being able to pass. I highlighted this to ESCC enforcement last year and was assured it would be treated as a priority. Photos were sent and two days after the initial report, I reported it again as a couple of cyclists had secured their bikes to the post, completely blocking any access. I am beyond annoyed that the post is still there, because Spencers will be utilising (legally) their outside space now summer is here and vulnerable people will again be forced into the road.
Well done for raising awareness of the everyday difficulties faced by people with disabilities; those pushing prams also experience the same problems and neither should be in this position. Yes, limited alterations could be made but more care and consideration from drivers would help enormously.
Thank you for another really good article James. It was a really good day with lots of feedback which will help us identify improvements. Many thanks to all our supporters and to everyone who attended on the day. Thanks Dan
Well done Dan Donna and everyone. thank you for highlighting our daiy challenges. It was amazing to support you