Disabled campaigner lambasts new Post Office (From This Is Local London)

Disabled campaigner lambasts new Marlow Post Office

10:20am Sunday 7th March 2010 in News By James Nadal

A LEADING disabled campaigner has lambasted the new Marlow Post Office for leaving her to be “lifted in like a baby” because a step makes it inaccessible.

Alison Lewis, chairman of Wycombe Area Access for All, a wheelchair user, said the new premises in Institute Road were “ a retrograde” move.

The amenity in Institute Road opened on Thursday to replace the temporary building in Dean Street car park which closed three days before.

There is a step at the entrance about three inches higher than street level.

A portable ramp has been bought by the owners for inside the buiding but the problem is getting in in the first place, Ms Lewis said.

Elderly and disabled users had been left “distressed” by the design, she said.

Ms Lewis, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, said: “It's going backwards, now we have no access we have gone back to the darker ages. But we want to be able to do it ourselves.”

The complaints have overshadowed the long awaited return of the Post Office to the heart of Marlow town centre.

Marlow resident Ms Lewis, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis, said it goes against regulations set out in The Disability Discrimination Act.

Chairman of Wycombe Area Access for All Ms Lewis said: “It’s dreadful. This is not an improvement, it’s a retrograde move.

"It’s goes completely against what should be done.

“Now we have no access we have gone back to the darker ages.

“I used to be able to get into all of the old three Post Office locations and now I can’t.

“I watched several elderly people on Friday with their various walking aids and saw the sheer look of distress on their face because they didn’t know how to get in.”

The temporary building in Dean Street car park, accessible via a ramp, closed last week.

Ms Lewis said:“They’ve closed down an accessible cabin and gone into an inaccessible unit - therefore in my opinion it’s gone backward.”

She said the postmistress had offered to lift her in in future, but while she appreciated the gesture, it was not the solution.

“You don’t do that, why go from getting in independently on your own steam to being lifted in like a baby or having to do all your banking on the pavement?

“It makes us so visible and dependent.”

The Post Office held a public consultation but Ms Lewis said Wycombe Area Access for All had been completley unaware of it.

Marlow Town Council were heavily involved in securing a permanent home for the service and lobbied the Post Office.

Clerk Howard Bellairs said: “We were surprised that the Post Office weren't aware of the requirements with the DDA, it's pretty fundamental with the access the retail premises that access must be made for disabled people.

"It seems to have been completely ignored.”

He said it was not the town council's responsibility to check the designs.

“They took the premises on and it wasn't for us to start dictating what they would do, I would've expected the Post Office to be aware.”

Leaseholders Wycombe District Council said it made the Post Office aware during the planning stages of the need to consider disabled access.

Sunita Chohan, spokesman for Post Office Ltd, said : "We are aware of some concerns around access for some of our customers and our sub postmistress has engaged a builder to see what improvements can be made.

“Given the constraints for the premises, it is too early to say what these will be but please rest assured that this matter is being taken very seriously."