Pavements 'like a switchback ride' for Horsham wheelchair users

People in Southwater say the village has become ‘wheelchair unfriendly’ with brambles overlapping many footpaths, uneven surfaces, parked cars, rubbish bins and not enough dropped kerbs.

Wheelchair user Bill Smith said: “There are brambles coming across the pavement at the traffic lights on the railway bridge side of Worthing Road, opposite the medical centre. And by the pedestrian lights near Budgens the vegetation, including brambles, covers half the pavement.

“The pavement coming down the main road, on the Southwater Park side, is very bumpy with lots of humps in it. Riding my wheelchair along there is rather like a switchback ride.”

He said some of the dropped kerbs in the area were too high making it difficult to access them and there were not enough in other places.

Other villagers say many other pavements in Southwater are also currently in a poor state, including those in Shipley Road, Church Lane, College Road and Ivy Close.

Many have taken to social media to share their concerns. One said: “There are also a lot of hedges that have grown out onto pavements making them too narrow.” Another added: “Not to mention the people who park half their car on the pavement. And you definitely couldn’t venture out on bin day either as many of the footpaths get blocked.”

Another said: “The pavements are awful causing those reliant on wheelchairs to be further isolated as many just cannot be used safely without the risk of falling out of the chair.”

A spokesman for West Sussex County Council, which is responsible for pavement maintenance, said: “We were sorry to hear of the concerns about Worthing Road, Southwater, and will arrange for a highway officer to inspect the footway. Action will be taken to tackle any issue presenting a safety concern.

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“The best way to report a concern about a pavement is direct to the county council using the online reporting page as this will ensure we have all the information we need.

“Highway improvements, such as new crossing points, can be considered through our community highway scheme application process. This provides communities with a formal way to request highway improvements.”