'Exhausted' Portsmouth wheelchair user reveals difficulties getting around city

And it is true. The majority of able-bodied people would simply step across such obstacles without giving them a second thought.

But for Southsea resident Steven the problem has started to affect his daily life, saying sometimes he feels ‘like a prisoner’ in his own home.

The 57-year-old has been using a wheelchair since he developed a mystery illness last year, causing him to lose his mobility.

Suddenly trips to his favourite places in Portsmouth, including Baffins Pond, became more difficult with his manual wheelchair struggling to travel up kerbs and across paths.

He explained more while showing The News around some of the worst spots, including roads with high cambers creating large dips, and cracked kerbs.

‘I am absolutely disgusted with the kerbs around here and the Tarmac and I want to know what on earth is being done by Portsmouth City Council or Colas (the council’s contractor) because nothing is being done at the moment for kerbs and bad accessibility,’ he said.

‘It’s not right, this is the 21st century. That’s what makes me cross about it.

‘Nothing has been done. And it doesn’t just affect disabled people but able-bodied and elderly people too.’

Steven recalled an incident this year where his wheelchair toppled backwards on the corner of Tangier Road and Chasewater Avenue.

He said: ‘It was a real shock, I was really shaken up, it was horrible.

‘Loads of people rushed out to help me. My legs were kind of dangling out, it was really embarrassing.

‘I basically was in my wheelchair and came right back.

‘I lost my balance and went right back and my legs went over.

‘There was a cyclist going past who stopped and helped me and the butcher came out and said: “Are you OK?”’

Owner of Tangier Road Butchers, Paul Cripps, witnessed the incident.

The 57-year-old said: ‘I saw him get caught on the raised bits as he went down the kerb.

‘He fell out of his wheelchair so I came out of the shop and another gentleman helped me lift him back into wheelchair. He was very shocked.

‘People have tripped up on the raised kerbs, one of my customers had a broken tooth and split open nose. You’ve got to watch where you’re going.’

After just half an hour showing us around the area Steven felt ‘exhausted.’

He said: ‘It’s very tiring to be out all day. It’s not good for your mental health. I’m a sociable person I like to get out and about.

‘I’m feeling exhausted with those kerbs, you’ve seen all the cracks in them. I will be pleased to get home and have a cup of tea.

‘It needs to be levelled out to make it accessible for disabled people as well as elderly people to stop them tripping.

‘It’s not just around here but it’s like this in other areas of the city too, my road in Moorings Way is the same.

‘If you’re not in a wheelchair you don’t realise what it’s like. You become a prisoner in your own home because you don’t want to go out.’

Councillor Lynne Stagg, the city’s cabinet member for traffic and transport, said the area around Tangier Road would be investigated.

She said: ‘Through the councils highway maintenance PFI contract, we have a programme of regular inspections of roads in Portsmouth by Colas.

‘Nothing has been reported to us in their inspections on Tangier Road however we will ensure the concerns are investigated.

‘The council is committed to making the city accessible to everyone, and this week a survey is being launched that gives residents and visitors the opportunity to share their views on transport accessibility.’

Further south in the city disability access campaigners are ‘hopeful’ things are improving.

Since the Accessible Beach Campaign 4 Pompey group was established, members have made contact with the city council - resulting in the installation of a new wooden ramp down to the sea near The Briny restaurant.

This replaced some rubber matting used on the other side of South Parade Pier that is starting to ‘fall apart.’

The council has also purchased two adapted wheelchairs that can be used in the sea for members to request.

For campaign group member Laura Collinson, 60, from Eastney, having access to the seafront and the water is extremely important.

Having been in a wheelchair since 1994 following a bus accident in India she often makes the journey to the promenade using an electric attachment to her chair.

She said: ‘It leaves me feeling a little less isolated to come down and meet up with people on the seafront.

‘But the next thing for me is wanting to go into the water with my friends and not just sit on the prom watching them.

‘A gentleman started a beach campaign two years ago and we’ve been working together with the council to try to get wheelchair users into the sea.

‘The rubber matting in Eastney wasn’t working so working alongside the council we’ve come up with a wooden ramp next to the lifeguard station.

‘There are two beach wheelchairs in the station now that have been purchased by the city council and they’ve been trialling them this summer to see if the ramp and the chairs are going to work.

‘We came down one day with a couple of volunteers and got the chair down the ramp OK with me in it but it was very difficult to get the wheelchair out of the water and back onto the ramp so it’s a work in progress.

‘Seafront management team were down with us and they’re really keen to make it work. The council has since included us in the seafront plans, so we’re getting to see first hand what they’re putting together.’

Fareham wheelchair user and founder of the Wetwheels charity, Geoff Holt, also enjoyed use of the new ramp over the summer.

He said: ‘It was absolutely brilliant.

‘It was the first time in 37 years I managed to get right onto the beach and spent a wonderful hour with my wife just taking in the sights and sounds like all the other beachgoers, it was genuinely brilliant.

‘It is obviously well-built, very sturdy and, although I did not go all the way to the end, I think my electric wheelchair would have managed it okay.

‘I also witnessed and spoke to many people in wheelchairs who said it was the first time they had also been on the beach despite living in Southsea all their lives and the last time I went I saw a paraplegic at the very end of the ramp get out of his wheelchair and go for a swim in the sea with his three year old child, it was very moving.’

However, Laura added: ‘I think more disability awareness is definitely needed in Portsmouth.

‘For example if a new business starts up they need to say on their website if they are wheelchair accessible or disability friendly.

‘I’d like to see the council have a councillor who specialises in disability access and awareness, like a cabinet member, who could liaise with us regularly.’

The recent improvements come as the whole of the seafront, from Long Curtain Moat to Eastney, is set to be transformed as new £100m sea defences will be installed.

A Southsea Coastal Scheme spokeswoman said: ‘Accessibility is at the forefront of the Southsea Coastal Scheme design, and our goal is to ensure the area along our seafront is accessible and open to all users.

‘The new promenade will be much wider and have a smooth and even surface, which will be a vast improvement on the existing promenade which suffers from pinch points, steep cross falls towards the sea and uneven pavers. Regular sloped access points will be provided alongside stepped access points to give people increased choice, depending on their needs.

‘Wheelchair users will be able to sit adjacent to others at seats and picnic benches specifically designed for this purpose, ensuring usability by all. Visual clutter along the promenade will be reduced, which will improve wayfinding and identification of such seating opportunities.

‘Walls along the seafront have been designed to take wheelchair user sight lines into consideration wherever possible to ensure sea views can be enjoyed by all.

‘Disabled parking spaces will be retained along the seafront, but will be relocated to ensure they are close to seafront attractions, restaurants and beach access points.’

Although consultation on the seafront masterplan ended last year you can find out more by emailing [email protected]

‘A change in attitude is needed’

WITH some disabilities not immediately obvious, one city resident has asked others to be considerate .

Visually impaired Elliott Lee, 21, who is in his final year of international development studies at the University of Portsmouth explained why travelling across the city could be difficult.

‘Due to my eyesight I cannot drive so something I can give to Portsmouth is the fact you don’t have to drive anywhere or rely on public transport because you can walk,’ he said.

‘I can walk to all my lectures and to the shops and most places are easily accessible by foot.

‘But at the same time that brings a safety issue for myself and other people with disabilities.

‘We are required to walk across a number of roads to get to our destination but many of them do not have suitable crossings.

‘You also find that cars are parked so close to the pavement, sometimes on the pavement, which acts as another obstacle.

‘I can’t always see cars coming because of other cars that are blocking my vision and because of my impaired vision my depth perception isn’t great. So I might not know how close a car is on the road.

‘A particularly bad spot is the crossing on Isambard Brunel Road opposite Portsmouth and Southsea train station.

‘Because it’s on a bend it can be hard to see what’s coming and as it’s not a proper crossing cars go quite fast through there.

‘Not only are better crossings needed but I definitely think a change in attitude from people.

‘They need to think more about others who might not be able to see or move around easily. In that sense Portsmouth isn’t a very good place for people with disabilities.’

He added: ‘It’s the same for people with hidden disabilities as well.

‘For someone who is neurodivergent, for example someone who has autism, they need people to be understanding. Often they will just need somewhere quiet to sit if things become too loud and chaotic for them.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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