Can disabled people cope with town centre?

A string of correspondents have expressed their concerns.

And in the Observer's latest webvote 70 per cent of respondents felt facilities are not good enough.

A woman with a profoundly disabled adult daughter says changes to the transport system have left her effectively banished from the town centre.

Wendy Matthews, of Martyns Way, says the number of parking spaces for blue badge holders are dwindling under the new 500,000 scheme, which will see the part-pedestrianisation of Devonshire Square.

In frustration she asked the county council's highways department to come out with her and wheelchair-bound daughter Claire, 24, to see for itself the problems they face on a daily basis.

The county declined, so the Observer joined Claire and Wendy on a trip to the town centre to see just how bad the situation is for them and others in a similar situation.

The highways department were not available for an immediate response but news editor ROB HUSTWAYTE will be sending on a copy of his report to help them form a judgment.

IT took about five minutes to load fully-grown Claire and her cumbersome and heavy (as I found out!) wheelchair into the back of the modified Peugeot minivan before setting off into town.

They need clearance at the back of at least 8ft in order to lower the ramp and get Claire in position, meaning they can't risk parking in streets with no restrictions because too often inconsiderate or unobservant motorists fail to leave enough space.

The first port of call was St Leonards Road, which has been made one way under the new regulations, with parking on either side of the road and build-outs near the junctions to help pedestrians cross.

Wendy said: "We used to be able to park on the double yellow lines near the junctions as long as we weren't causing major disruption. With the build-outs St Leonards Road is now no-go."

We scoured Devonshire Road twice, Western Road, Endwell Road, Station Road, Buckhurst Place, Town Hall Square and the seafront all in vain before having to turn around and go home.

Wendy said it was a familiar story. "It's like we've been banished from the town centre. Claire has a right to be able to come into the centre of her town, as much right as anybody, and she enjoys it. I've often had to give up and sometimes now even have to go over to Hastings, it's a real shame.

"I used to be able to park outside Boots usually but that's been turned into a loading bay.

"When I asked about the proposed new disabled bays outside the Post Office I was told they would have a 30-minute limit. That's insulting. It takes a good ten minutes to load and unload her. That might leave you time enough to run into the Post Office and draw your money but not long enough to spend any of it."

Wendy would like to see some specifically-dedicated bays for disabled badge holders. She added: "Unfortunately some people have abused the disabled badges and it's made life difficult for the rest of us.

"I know everyone has a right to park in the town centre. Doesn't that include us? I only hope when they get on and do Devonshire Road the problem doesn't get any worse.

"It's as if people like us have been overlooked."