A recent citizen survey conducted by the action group Accessible Wells shines a spotlight on significant accessibility concerns faced by residents with mobility and disability challenges in the city of Wells.
Carried out between February and April, the survey captured responses from care settings and members of the public, revealing issues such as poor pavement conditions, inadequate accessibility information, a fragmented travel network, and limited access to disabled toilets.
The findings were startling: carers were 87 times more likely to rate pavement surfaces as unsatisfactory, reflecting their direct experience managing wheelchairs over uneven ground. Mobility aid users were 60 times more likely to report difficulties finding and accessing disabled toilets, despite the city having over 20 facilities spread across various locations.
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The survey’s executive summary emphasized widespread dissatisfaction: pavements and travel routes were cited as problematic by over 11,000 residents, while more than 10,000 expressed frustration at the lack of useful accessibility information, difficulties accessing disabled toilets, and barriers to full participation in city life.
Encouragingly, Accessible Wells reports that several improvement initiatives are underway. These include installing additional drop kerbs, launching a dedicated website for accessibility information, promoting businesses that offer free disabled toilet access, plans to reduce city centre traffic speeds, better allocation of disabled parking bays, and efforts to prevent pavement parking.
However, some challenges lack concrete plans at present, such as upgrading poor pavement surfaces, increasing business engagement on accessibility obligations, tackling dog fouling, enhancing communication with mobility aid users and carers, and installing audible signals at pedestrian crossings.
The report stresses that comprehensive, multi-faceted action and improved communication are essential to meet the vision of making Wells an inclusive city where disabled people feel safe, welcome, and fully able to participate in community life.
Theo van Hensbergen, a campaigner with Accessible Wells, highlighted the survey’s role in identifying priorities and praised active collaboration with local councils. The group plans a follow-up survey in 2026 to track progress.
Accessible Wells was founded by Brian Clarke—diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease—and his neighbours, who recognized the barriers wheelchair users face in Wells’ medieval streets. Refusing to accept limitations imposed by the city’s heritage, they have worked hard to push for meaningful accessibility improvements.