Fylde Highways ‘Access for All’ Strategy
Objectives of the ‘Access for All’ Strategy
The key objectives of this strategy are:
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To establish a reliable baseline position for disabled access provision in the
local community and an effective means of continuous engagement
To deliver improvement and enhancement to highway access and facilities in
the Fylde Council area that will have a positive impact on the quality of life for
all groups of disabled residents and visitors
To secure the maximum possible resources and support to ensure sustainable
improvements in highway access for all groups of disabled users
To establish strong and effective working relationships between the various
organisations responsible for highway access and those that represent the
interests of all groups of disabled users in the community
The strategy will provide a structured approach to delivering highway improvements
and accessibility for users from all disabled groups in the Fylde that is clearly linked to
the identified needs of the various user groups.
The co-ordination of improvement activity will ensure that there are no ‘conflicts’ in the
improvement agenda between different disabled user groups e.g. street furniture that
helps physically disabled people hindering partially sighted users.
Introduction
The Fylde Borough covers an extensive area that encompasses both rural and urban
communities. The borough has an urban tourist centre located by the coast and a
large rural hinterland that also caters for more dispersed tourism activities and
interests.
There is an identified need for a co-ordinated approach to highway access for disabled
groups based on feedback from residents and visitors in the community and the
findings from an initial survey carried out in the local community (Appendix 1) and
feedback provided to elected members and service providers.
A clear strategic approach across the Fylde that brings together the users and service
providers would benefit all disabled groups in the community leading to a number of
benefits that are outlined below:
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Access to greater financial investment for targeted improvement based on the
needs of disabled users from all groups
A co-ordinated approach to improvements from pooled resources, skills,
knowledge and research
The provision of a reliable source of accurate data to identify the needs of the
various disabled groups in the community
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The establishment of consultation and engagement initiatives based around the
needs of each disabled group
The identification of the needs of different disabled groups in respect of
highway access requirements
A single strategic framework in place across the Fylde that provides direction
and focus for any work carried out and ensure that it fulfils the needs of all
disabled user groups
Formal mechanisms established to research and survey visitor groups
The need for a single strategic approach to providing access improvements for
disabled users is supported by the demographics. The Fylde borough area has a
higher than national average number of residents that are elderly, infirm and / or
disabled with over 26% of the population of retirement age and 15.4% with a declared
physical disability (census and ONS data).
The demographic profile of the visiting population also shows that there is a large
number of elderly, infirm and disabled users attracted by the freedom and tranquility
offered by the spacious promenades, rural hinterland and shallow topography of the
borough.
There is a current lack of co-ordinated and reliable data on the needs of various
disabled groups in respect of highway access that is appropriately quality checked. A
strategic approach would enable the establishment of high quality research that is coordinated and will lead to a reliable picture of the current provision and future service
requirements.
The recent research and feedback that is available from residents and visitors
provides some evidence that there is a requirement for greater provision and a
targeted approach to future improvements based on identified need. Feedback is
currently gathered through limited survey work similar to the one detailed in Appendix
1 and direct correspondence with elected members as well as officer records. These
sources of data are never brought together to provide a holistic picture of the current
position and future need. There is also limited proactive engagement targeted at the
various disabled groups living and visiting the community.
The Scope of the Strategy
The initial scope of the strategy will include the identification of the highway access
requirements of all disabled groups in the community by establishing a lead group that
is responsible for engaging all disabled users and service providers.
The scope will shift once the baseline position has been established through
engagement and research to a co-ordinated approach to future service delivery. This
scope will still include all disabled groups that access highways in the borough.
The scope will also include all current and future resources and organisations that are
responsible for highway access in the community.
The Strategic Approach
The need for a strategic approach to improve the understanding of highway
accessibility provision for disabled users across the Fylde borough is essential to
ensure a value for money efficient service. The key aspects of the approach that will
be taken as a result of this strategy is to establish co-ordination and direction by
working together. Some of the strategic measures that will help to achieve this are
outlined below:
1. All stakeholders with a responsibility for disabled accessibility on the highways
across the Fylde borough will work together through a single group led by the
Elected Member champion at Fylde Borough Council responsible for all
disabled residents and visitors
2. Engagement measures will be established to determine a baseline position and
ongoing future service delivery needs as identified by the various disabled user
groups
3. Financial and human resources will be effectively targeted based on the
identified user needs established through the direct engagement under the
umbrella of the single working group
4. The development and continual review of an Action Plan that brings highway
accessibility in the local community to a standard that is suitable for all disabled
users
This strategic approach will ensure that a reliable baseline position is established and
future service delivery needs are continually reviewed and updated for all disabled
user groups. Any resources dedicated to disabled access improvements on the
highways in the Fylde will make the maximum positive impact for all disabled users
and avoid any disadvantage to any particular group.
Appendix 1
DISABLED ACCESS SURVEY RESULTS
Distribution:
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Web Survey on www.fylde.gov.uk
Hardcopy surveys sent out with Fylde mail outs
Hardcopies at Lytham St. Annes Express office
Interview with Cllr. Craig-Wilson in LSA Express – A number of letters were
received directly in response to this
Responses:
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40 responses to web survey and mail out
25 responses direct to Cllr. Craig-Wilson
Nature of disabilities represented
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Wheelchair bound
Heart Trouble
Arthritis
Learning Difficulties
Angina
Multiple Sclerosis
Spinal Problems
Broken Hip
Damaged Discs
Prosthetics
Autism
Epilepsy
Fragile X Syndrome
Downs Syndrome
Cerebral Palsy
ASD
Nature of Issues Raised
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Disabled Parking Badges
Not enough gates – secure play areas, so child cannot “escape” (some autistic
children have behaviour problems that cause them to run off without thinking
just because they need to; making them a danger to themselves and others)
Stairs instead of ramps in some park areas
Uneven Pavements
Potholes (even little ones can cause a wheelchair to overturn)
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Wheelchair friendly changing areas (some wheelchair bound
children/teens/young adults need diapers)
Difficulty accessing pavements because of lack of ramps
Lack of play equipment suitable for disabled children (most parks don’t have
any, and some that do – the equipment is not suitable)
Town Hall Lift
Narrow Pavements
Lack of Dropped Kerbs
Ramps Not Supplied to Homeowners with Disabled
Need for fencing for safe play area
Pavements in bad condition
Dog Poo on pavements
(Disabled Adults Issues)
High Kerbs
Town Hall Access & shops
Not enough dropped kerbs (Forest Drive, South Park, Lytham Hall, Fairhaven
Lake)
Railway Station at Kirkham – no access for wheelchair users onto platform
Necessity to drive mobility scooters or wheelchairs on the roads instead of
pavements
Dropped kerbs (Whalley Place – Waddington Road Playground)
Boats on Fairhaven Lake (none adapted for wheelchair users)
Cars Parked on Pavements or in front of dropped kerbs
No dropped kerbs (Warton Street, Lytham on access route to new surgery)
Steps into cafes and shops
Can’t go out
Tactiles before pedestrian crossings (difficult for people with crutches or sticks)
Bus Routes not near enough to walk to
Issues Raised in Correspondences
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One person – dropped kerbs
2 people – need more disabled parking bays
2 people – Ashton Gardens paths
8 people – bad road surfaces
1 person – specifically about potholes
10 people – Uneven or bad pavements and walkways
1 person – cars parking on pavements
Disabled Access Highways Strategic Action Plan
ACTION
RESPONSIBILITY
OUTCOME
Establish a single group that has
Lead members and key officers in
A single group with appropriate
representation from all stakeholders
organisations and groups responsible
membership and clear governance
responsible for disabled highways
for disabled highways accessibility
arrangements and terms of reference
representative of all disabled groups
access
Establish baseline position in respect
The Fylde Disabled Highways Access
Comprehensive survey that provides clear
of the different disabled groups and
Group
evidence for the needs of all disabled
groups
their requirements in the local
community
Establish a clear criteria for identifying
The Fylde Disabled Highways Access
A clear criteria that is agreed to
the priority needs for disabled access
Group
determine priority need (signed off by
stakeholders)
within each different
Develop and publish a 12 month work
The Fylde Disabled Highways Access
An agreed short term work plan linked to
programme based on the identified
Group
finance and resources with clear
responsibilities linked to the criteria
needs (target work)
(operational action plan)
The Fylde Disabled Highways Access
Agreed longer term rolling programme
Implement measures to secure
The Fylde Disabled Highways Access
Additional and new funds and resources
alternate and additional financial and
Group
identified and secured and linked to
Develop and publish a longer term
working programme designed to
Group
that includes resource requirement
identify future resource requirement
other support for highways access
work
longer term plan of work