Letter Re: Disability Strategy Consultation   18th February 2021   To: Prime Minister Boris Johnson MP, and  Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Justin Tomlinson MP   Dear Sirs, We write to express our deep concerns about the survey being used to inform the consultation on the National Strategy for Disabled People. Whilst we welcome a rethink on what the nation’s strategy for Disabled people should be, we believe, as it currently stands, the consultation is: a.    Not in compliance with the Equality Act 2010. b.    Not fit for purpose, in as much as it is open for contributions tha...

Letter in The Herald on 5 February 2021 from: Brian Day and Liz Trethewey Joint chairs Eastbourne Access Group With reference to the article on the state of the disabled toilet at Langney Shopping Centre click here to read, the Eastbourne Access Group, together with local councillors, raised this with the shopping centre management two years ago and have been promised refurbishment ever since, although the Covid excuse is a new one . However, refurbishment is not the answer. The public needs new toilets in general in the centre to replace the ones only accessible by going down steeply incl...

Eastbourne Access Group consultation response to East Sussex Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan Public Consultation 2020. We need your help please send your own individual response by 11 December 2020. Thank you ESCC LCWIP 1 December 2020 We welcome the key overall strategic aim to be ‘inclusive and support people with physical and hidden disabilities’. It is imperative that full consideration is given to LTN 1/20 which the documents reference: higher quality cycling provision, as well as kerb or barrier and effective cycle lane segregation from pedestrians. The LTN ...

This is the latest Business Disability Awareness newsletter from Eastbourne Council. As more businesses reopen from 2 December, it is important to provide good service to all customers in the run up to Christmas, a key trading period. Sometimes a small change can have a big impact. There are many simple things your business can do to improve the accessibility of your services and premises for disabled people. In this video Ian Streets, Access Consultant at About Access Ltd, delivers a presentation about the practical steps you can take. Many of his hints and tips won't cost...

PRESS RELEASE EASTBOURNE ACCESS GROUP 23 SEPTEMBER 2020 Eastbourne Access Group is a community group whose members come from all walks of life.  The group is made of up of disabled people, carers and anyone with an interest and passion about ensuring good access to our local area. The group provides information to local people and visitors about Eastbourne businesses and services, as well as campaigning to remove barriers and help to create a town that is fully inclusive.  The group volunteers also produce the Eastbourne Access Guide for Disabled People which is available on line and...

Well done to Ray, our deputy chair who has written a letter to the local paper, Eastbourne Herald which was published in today's edition, Friday 4th September 2020. Frustrated by lack of disabled inclusive design in Eastbourne Eastbourne Access Group is increasingly frustrated at the lack of inclusive design by East Sussex County Council when it builds new public realm schemes. The latest scheme is the seafront cycle route. Once again we see more disabled parking bays lost (five in total), in addition to a loss of three bus stops and nowhere for taxis to park and drop off old...

We are pleased to have two Changing Places in Eastbourne, one on the Seafront by The Bandstand and the other in The Beacon shopping centre. The Access Group have been campaigning for years to get more installed and currently asking the council to install one in The Congress Theatre or Welcome Building and asking the Manager at Langney Shopping Centre to improve access all their toilets facilities with the new centre extention this is an excellent opportunity to install a changing places facility. The Access Group is really pleased to hear the government announcement today on Changing Place...

We are pleased to tell you the Tourist Information Seafront Office by the Bandstand, 6 Lower Parade, Grand Parade, BN21 3AD has a stock of our new 2020 Eastbourne Guide for Disabled People so if you would like a hard copy you can pick one up from there. Alternatively Proctors Health Care shop 8-9 Station Parade, BN21 1BE also have a stock. They have our toilet leaflet if you want to know where the public toilets are within the town. You can also purchase a RADAR key for the accessible toilets. The TIC Seafront office can give you access details of the Changing Places toilet facility that is ...

Our on-street parking charges are rising again. The county council have certainly discovered a steady and endless source of income in the form of the hapless motorist. The income local authorities raise from motorists is set to exceed £1 billion in 2019/2020 and despite the Department for Communities and Local Government statement that councils should not “use parking as a cash cow” we are left wondering where the money raised in this way is being spent. When originally introduced we were assured that  'Parking charges are there to manage traffic, not raise revenue, with any money left o...

The Access Group has highlighted the hazard of the new grey cubes in the town centre making front page of the Herald and an interview on Sussex Radio. What do you think of them? ESCC say "The cubes, which were specifically requested by the town centre steering group and are removable, are concentrated in the centre of a short section of Terminus Road used by vehicles." "Their positioning leaves clear areas either side of the road for pedestrians." "As with every element of the scheme, we will be monitoring the situation. When work on the improvment scheme is complete, we will be carryi...