As strong advocates of accessibility, the Quingo team were interested to read about a couple from North Wales who found that gates designed to stop motorcycles getting past were also having unintentional effect of stopping their mobility scooters gaining access to Talacre.
Are some gates in North Wales too thin?
Alan and Joan Preston, who live in Sandy Cove near Rhyl, wanted the gates to be widened to let them cross over the border into nearby Talacre. The couple were critical of the council who refused to widen the gates to allow their mobility scooters to pass through.
Alan, who had to give up work eight years ago because of a spinal condition, said: “It’s supposed to be access for all, but that’s just not the case in Flintshire. We did have a similar issue with Denbighshire County Council with the gates near Prestatyn Golf club.
“But after raising it with the rangers they came down and met us and widened it that few centimetres needed to get through.”
Improving accessibility in North Wales
A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said that the council recognised that since the barriers were put in place, the size and shape of mobility scooters has changed. They added that they wanted as many people as possible to enjoy the coastline and would continue to do their upmost to ensure that the paths were as accessible as they could be.
However, Flintshire County Council has yet to comment on the accessibility of their gates. Alan and Joan say they can happily travel as far as Rhos on Sea from their home, but when they travel in the opposite direction they’re forced to turn around because the gates aren’t wide enough.
Making the countryside accessible to all
Alan explained: “We can now get to just past Presthaven holiday park but after that we’re stuck. We’ve tried lowering the handlebars and turning in our mirrors but we just won’t fit. All we want to do is get through to Talacre so we can go to one of the cafes before going home again.”
However, Alan received an email from a senior coastal ranger saying that Flintshire County Council wouldn’t be following the example of Denbighshire.
Hope on the horizon?
Cllr Glyn Banks, who represents Talacre, said it wasn’t the first time he’d heard of the problem and he didn’t see why a suitable solution couldn’t be found.
He said: “I understand they’re there to stop motorcyclists but at the end of the day, an able bodied motorcyclist who wants to get through will probably get through anyway so I see no reason why they can’t be widened.”
About Quingo
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