Wheelchair users campaigning for a path to freedom

MICHAEL KEAVNEY

Motorists and business owners need to show more consideration for people with disabilities and mobility issues. That was the clear message from the service users of Prosper Meath last week when they held an awareness campaign on the streets of Meath last week.

Speaking after National Make Way Day which took place last Wednesday Joey Dowdall, a native of Navan and wheelchair user, spoke of the need to make the streets of Navan more accessible for people with disabilities, especially people in wheelchairs.

"Things like lamposts, bins, shop signs and parked cars blocking footpaths are a big problem for me. Other big issues is the condition of the footpaths and the lack of safe places to cross the road in the middle of the town. For example  if I want to cross the road from  Navan post office to the credit union I'd have to go to the pedestrian crossing at the shopping centre and come all the way back down again," says Joey who is a Prosper Meath service user. 
"Some of the footpaths are also unsuitable for wheelchair users" he continued, "especially when you go further away from the town centre. They have very high lips and edges meaning I can't get up to or down off the path in my chair, which means sometimes I have to drive along the road in traffic to get a place where I can get onto the path which can be very dangerous." 
He added that if simple steps were taken by the local authorities and business owners, life could be much easier for wheelchair users.

"Things like installing more safe crossing points, improving the condition of the footpaths and  taking signs in off the road would make getting around a lot simpler". Joey also said the Council should do more to raise awareness with drivers and the impact their parking has on wheelchair users and that they should place some kind of penalty on drivers who cause an obstruction.

"I would also like the Council to work more with local business owners to make the town more accessible, which would benefit everyone." 
Joey also made a submission to Meath County Council  and met with the accesibility officer as part of a group from Prosper Meath to highlight some of the main issues affecting wheelchair users in the town and took part in a demonstration outside Navan shopping centre recently to highlight the issues facing wheelchair users in Meath.