Relatives of late North Kessock man call for action to solve village's accessibility hurdles for wheelchair and buggy users
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A NORTH Kessock resident is calling for action to improve accessibility on some of the village streets after witnessing his late father’s difficulties following a rare disease diagnosis.
Paul Ovenstone (40), realised how challenging the situation was for local residents after his late father Robert (known as Bert) was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in November 2020 and shortly after forced to use a wheelchair. It was only after lockdown that the family realised about mobility issues around the house. Mr Ovenstone said: “When we were given wheelchairs by the NHS and we started to try and take dad out for walks it was very difficult for us to get beyond our house, because how the dropped kerbs are built in the area made it very difficult.
“This is when I realised that the situation for anybody who is in a wheelchair to be outdoors in North Kessock is almost impossible. If we go into the new housing developments, it’s all very good, we are only really talking about the more established, older areas of the town – the standards back then were not what they are now. Back then I thought: ‘It’s 2021, it’s time to do something about this’. Wheelchair users have the same right to use pavements as everyone else.”
In September 2021, his father was moved to a care home in Dingwall, and passed away two months later, at the age of 70.
“When dad was in the care home, we managed to take him out a few times in Dingwall on his electric wheelchair”, said Mr Ovenstone. “He was so thrilled to get outside, something which he hadn’t been able to do based in his house in North Kessock.
“He said he actually felt he was better off remaining at the care home than coming home, and part of this was also due to being so restricted on where he could go in North Kessock. It was that difficult for him to travel that he was better in a care home than at home.”
Other residents have also voiced issues. Louise Roy (33), who lives on Ferry Brae, said she is very concerned about safety as she has to go on the road to take her daughter Evie (4), who has to use a wheelchair or a buggy, as well as other young children to school.
“My main issue is to get her to school,” she said. “We have to get her on the road together with other children and we have to pass in front of parked cars, and when it gets busy at pick up and drop off times we have to dodge traffic.
“I see other parents having to use the road with buggies. Access to the school from the pavement has a set of steps which one cannot avoid so we are not able to use it.
“We hope that when she grows up Evie will be able to walk by herself with the use of a walker but that is a worry as well.
“Something needs to be done to solve this as it’s a real concern for safety.
“I really hope that with elections the situation will improve as it seems that the issue has been very low on council’s priority. We have a diverse community here in North Kessock so it needs to be safe for all.”
Mr Ovenstone was in touch about the issue with the Highland Council when his father was still alive.
He said: “Initially, I got good responses via email from them, it was all very positive and within a week a couple of workmen from the council had come out and discussed my particular issue around our house, they described the issues they were going to face, and it was all very responsive and very positive.
However, after a series of emails was exchanged with local councillors, no updates were given to Mr Ovenstone after September last year. When he asked for updates again in January and April 2022, his emails were unanswered.
“The anger is mostly at the lack of response from the council. It would be a big project, so we know we can’t expect for it to be completed in a year, but it’s the fact that they haven’t done any form of immediate work, or even responded to let us know that a survey has been in place.”
A spokesperson for Highland Council said: “We do not currently have available funds within the capital roads budget for additional improvements to the road network, outside of the works planned and agreed at the Area Committees. There is a small budget to address urgent safety issues. The only opportunity we potentially have is when we are carrying out local structural improvements, such as resurfacing, then we may consider other alterations.
“However, we also have limited funds for structural maintenance and this is focussing on addressing the deteriorating public highway. If specific issues are raised we could possibly look at them to assess if any opportunities exist.”
At the time of writing, Mr Ovenstone has received an acknowledgement from one of the local councillors he had previously contacted.
Commenting on the issue, Emma Roddick MSP said: “I get a lot of people from all across the Highlands coming to me concerning accessibility issues. If folk are struggling like this gentleman getting a resolution from the Highland Council then I am always more than happy to hear from them and try and push that along.
“It’s something I’d have to hear directly from the council about the funding to make public places accessible, so whether it is a question of waiting until the next financial year to get the money, regardless of that, they should get back to the person and let them know what’s going on with that situation.
“Accessibility is an issue across the board, both in urban areas like Inverness and rural areas – considering that the Highlands have such a high proportion of disabled people compared to the rest of the country is something to work on.
“I certainly hope that having more diversity in the chamber after these elections will help. Hopefully a new council with new ideas will be able to prioritize this matter.
“When it comes to accessibility, it’s not actually that hard to find the right policy, because these people are coming to us and telling us what they are struggling with. All we have to do is asking people who use wheelchairs what their issues are. A lot of people got in touch with me that they are not able to get from their home to the GP or to the supermarket. It’s about solving these issues as they come. It’s something a that we have to deal with across the whole board, we have it in every single community in the Highlands.”
