16/09/03 - More dropped kerbs will give better access

On Wednesday 17th September at The Oval Centre in Salterbeck at 1pm, Cumbria County Council's Local Committee for Allerdale will look to create a big programme of dropped kerbs to enable wheelchair users to get around easier.   

In recent years, apart from the specification of dropped kerbs associated with new capital schemes, any improvements in crossing points were funded from the highways revenue budget. Due to cuts to the revenue budget it has been difficult to respond to public aspirations. Current budgets would only allow for 3-4 dropped kerb crossing points, in the whole of Allerdale, this year.   

County Councillor Barbara Cannon, Chair of Allerdale Local Committee says,   

"Local Committee Members throughout Allerdale are increasingly hearing from their constituents that more dropped kerbs are needed in and around our shopping streets to help electric powered wheelchair users to remain independent. We will be hearing on Wednesday, in our public participation session, from a Workington resident about how difficult it is to get to the Tesco supermarket by pavement, in her electric powered chair. 

There is no doubt that the population of Allerdale is getting older. Demands for ease of getting about in these electric powered personal vehicles will increase. We want to find some extra resources to start improvements now, and perhaps continue over the next two to three years. Such a programme will be money well spent."   

Members will hear from officers about various budget options to support this new expenditure