Accessibility improvement for seafront

Plans include mobility scooter hire and wheelchair-friendly designs

THE city’s seafront could be made more accessible for all with new plans for mobility scooter hire and wheelchairfriendly designs – as well as floating beach wheelchairs and modified surf boards.

Portsmouth City Council is exploring options for Southsea and Eastney seafronts to allow all residents to safely access the promenade as well as the waterfront.

As part of the changes it is hoped a trial mobility scooter scheme will be run by Portsmouth Shop Mobility, giving residents the option of hiring a scooter to use on the promenade.

Councillor Steve Pitt, the council’s city development boss, said: ‘It’s important that people have the independence to use outdoor spaces.

‘The scooter mobility hire could be something we end up doing every year during the summer and we will provide them with the space to operate from.

‘But we are looking at a full range of options because lots of other local authorities are trialling different things at the moment.

‘It’s difficult to do some of these things because we have a moving shingle beach but we need to look at the options.’

It is also hoped more wheelchair and scooter-friendly designs will be implemented when the new Southsea sea defences are built.

Cllr Pitt added: ‘We want to make sure as we build sea defences that if there are options to make it easier for people with disabilities to access, we incorporate that.

‘If we can use the funding to create sea defences that are more accessible then that would be great.’

The council is also looking at schemes in other cities including hoist facilities, floating beach wheelchairs and wheelchair surf boards.

And following a successful trial it is planned a matted ramp to the water opposite the Eastney beach huts will be made a permanent fixture with the addition of dropped kerbs and disabled parking.

Sharon Smithson, chairman of the Portsmouth Disability Forum, welcomed the idea of scooter hire.

She said: ‘I think that would be really good to have something down there. If someone was less able to walk far, can’t transport their scooter down there or might not have enough charge, they could get a taxi or bus down and then hire one to allow them to go along the seafront.

‘We are all open at the forum to trying anything. Lots of our members are up for a challenge and are welcoming these new ideas.

‘We understand it all takes time but we all deserve to be able to enjoy the beautiful seafront where we live.’

It comes as councillors are set to discuss a petition, signed by more than 1,000 people, to make Eastney beach more accessible.

The options will be discussed at a culture, leisure and tourism meeting on Friday, July 17.