Councillors navigate town in disabled experiment

High kerbs, rough roads, and bumpy pavements have caused councillors challenges while navigating a town in a wheelchair and mobility scooter.

Disability campaigners challenged leaders and business traders to experience Bodmin, in Cornwall, as a disabled person would.

Cornwall Council leader councillor Leigh Frost, and councillor Dan Rogerson, took part in the experiment.

Deputy Mayor of Bodmin, Pete Skea, who is a wheelchair user, said "a lot more education" was needed to help decision makers understand the need of people with disabilities.

Viki Carpenter, who is the director of Access Cornwall, organised the event to give decision makers "the opportunity to see and explore their town from a new perspective".

"All of them found the tasks insightful and some found them frightening, frustrating and tiring at times, but they all commented that it had given them a much better understanding of the challenges people can face," said Carpenter.

"The good news is Bodmin Town Council are focused on accessibility this year so there is real momentum for changes that will make Bodmin more accessible."

Skea said: "Some of the issues that all towns face are very high kerbs so wheelchair users can't easily get around.

"It's very frustrating for wheelchair users but events like this will help people understand the issues that people with all types of impairments face.

"We need to make all of our towns more accessible to the elderly or disabled people and events like this will help to educate decision makers."

Bodmin town councillor Ciaran Morris wore glasses that made him almost completely blind.

He said: "It was quite educational, normally to get to the post office would be easy for me but on this occasion it wasn't, I didn't even make it in the end.

"There's more work to do for towns like Bodmin, accessibility for wheelchair users is accessibility for everyone, no-one ever said no to an elevator.

"Of course budgets for councils are tight but a short-term cost here is better because it will bring us a long-term gain."

Rogerson, who is the cabinet member for transport at Cornwall Council, said: "I was using a mobility scooter and Leigh was in a powered wheelchair.

"We were given the mission to get into town and back to the library, at one point we had to go into the road because there was no dropped kerb so things like that we could do better at.

"We have a lot to learn and a lot to do but it was a really good process for us.

"Whenever something is being repaired or replaced we'll do it with accessibility in mind and as we do that we're gradually improving things."

Access Cornwall plans to repeat the "experience days" in other Cornish towns.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.