Dear Sir,
On Thursday 27th August my wife, Edith, was involved in an accident outside the town centre. Unable to walk and having not been out since March, due to the virus, she needed to go personally to the bank, straight there and straight back.
We parked in the dedicated disabled car park off Greenwell Road. I was pushing her in her wheelchair out of the car park when a gentleman stopped his car to allow us to cross the road to the opposite dropped kerb which takes you up the ramp to the arcade.
I proceeded to cross the road and suddenly the front wheels jammed, the back shot up and catapulted my wife into the middle of the road. Many people shot across to help but she was in a state of shock and her legs were buckling under her and, try as we may, we could not lift her. Luckily a chap saw us and came across and lifted her himself into her wheelchair.
The first aiders from the leisure centre came out and checked her over and pushed her into the arcade themselves. After going to the bank we went back to the car, getting in her knees buckled and she ended up sitting on the car sill. Once again a chap came over and after a struggle we got her into the car. Next day she phoned the doctors who sent an ambulance, subsequently, x-rays of her leg and arm show a fracture to both. Gladly she is now on the mend.
My wife and I would like to offer our sincere thanks to all the people that assisted us, especially the two very strong gentleman who, without them, we would have been in a right pickle. Another big thank you to the first aiders from the leisure centre.
When I checked the place of the accident, I found a gap of road missing, up to 70mm wide and over 40mm deep in parts across nearly half the entrance/exit to the car park.
This car park is solely for blue badge holders, who can’t walk or have difficulty in walking. It is a serious tripping hazard at best, but a death trap for a wheelchair user. It has been reported but still not repaired, so if you use this car park, be very careful.
F Clement
