'Security gates mean we can't get into parks'

ELDERLY and disabled people who rely on mobility scooters to get around Bristol say they are finding it hard to get into the city's parks.

Mobility scooter users told the Post they are being stopped from using the parks by security measures intended to deter motorcyclists, which have seen many park entrances turned into impassable obstacles for people on four wheels.

Mobility specialist Bob Sansom, who runs Access Able in St John's Lane, Bedminster, said park gates across the city had been turned into a series of "Checkpoint Charlies".

Locked gates at neighbouring Victoria Park have prevented him from using the area as a quiet practice track to give potential customers a test drive.

He said: "While it's understandable there is a need to keep motorcycles and scooters out, the new locks, gates and angled access bars mean our parks have become no go areas for many disabled and elderly people who need powered scooters and chairs to get around outside.

"Mobility scooter or powered chair users are virtually unable to access parks without going through the rigmarole of obtaining keys from the city council.

"Getting hold of a key is all very well if the mobility scooter user lives locally and only needs to access one park, but it takes no account of the more adventurous users wishing to use one or more of our parks as handy shortcuts across the city.

"It means just about every sector of the community can use the city's parks – apart from the elderly and disabled who would appreciate them the most."

Mr Sansom said footpaths through parks were frequently the quickest, safest and the most pleasant way of travelling for people with limited mobility and made an ideal place for people to get used to their new vehicle.

Mobility scooter user Michael McNeil – who lives in Hartcliffe and travels up to five or six miles across the city every day – said the decision to lock the gates had hindered his use of the parks.

He said: "Victoria Park has one gate which I can just about squeeze through – the rest of them are gated, locked or blocked by high steps so I can't get out the other end.

"Giving people keys is not the answer as all I am trying to do is use the quickest and safest route to get from my home in Hartcliffe into the city centre.

"I would need half a dozen different keys if I had to negotiate every checkpoint in every park along the way. By blocking all the park gates I am obliged to stick to the footpaths and roads."

Councillor Gary Hopkins, Bristol City Council's cabinet member for environment and community safety, said: "Victoria Park does have an access point useable by motorised scooters as do other local parks.

"Often gates are part closed later to deal with the motorcycle menace."

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