Report from the meeting of 29 October 2009
South Ayrshire Access Panel meets on the last Thursday in each month and tackles issues relating to making the environment, facilities and services in South Ayrshire available to all its residents.
The Panel received the document Disabled Persons Protection Policy from First Scotrail.which contains details of services available to disabled passengers as well as access information on every station. A copy of the policy can be viewed/downloaded from this page on the First Scotrail web site.
Asda has contacted the Panel regarding proposals to extend the Ayr Store. They are hoping to improve the store by increasing the internal retail floor space by 1,472 square meters, which will allow wider food aisles and enable them to improve the non-food department for customers. They advised that the Planning Application has been submitted to SAC Planning Department.
The Panel will lend their support on the installation of Kassel kerbs to assist wheelchair users in a housing complex and surrounding areas in Prestwick by contacting the relevant Department of South Ayrshire Council.
The Panel have been invited to a Community Conversation. South Ayrshire Council are hoping this will increase awareness and understanding of what the Council do, the big issues that they are facing and how they are hoping to address them. Meetings have been arranged on various dates in November and December in different locations throughout South Ayrshire. More information is on their web site.
SDEF have been in touch with the Panel regarding a template about contact details. It is a blank document to which you add informatin and keep for useful contact names, numbers and addresses.
The Panel were informed of a new planning application process which will be invoked when the submission involves large scale works such as supermarkets or a substantial number of houses. It is expected that there may be up to six such applications a year. The new procedure will require consultation with the Panel at an early stage and applications will need to be dealt with a degree of speed. It was suggested that the Panel may wish to create a sub-committee which can respond quickly to consider such applications.
New planning applications under consideration by the Panel this month include; a request from the Panel regarding premises in Carrick Street, Ayr, if it would be possible for at least 4% of the parking spaces to be accessible in the proposed temporary car park. Also, the Panel asks if a level platform be increased in length to provide 900mm space from the sweep of the outward opening doors at premised in Glebe Crescent, Maybole. This will allow wheelchairs to be manoeuvred without running away from the doors when opened. The side of ramp is close to a steep slope so it would be advisable to provide a handrail in this section.
The Panel were advised that the pelican crossing pole at the Railway Station is to be relocated closer to the tactile paving, since relocating the control box on its own is not practical.
Regarding the problems of the barriers at Cafe Nero in High Street, Ayr not being placed correctly and the furniture being moved, contrary to the agreement reached, the Panel were assured that this would be dealt with.
A Panel member met up with the Scotrail Access and Inclusion Manager, [responsible for the publication of the Disabled Persons Protection Policy document mentioned above] at the station in Girvan. The Manager gave an assurance that everything which could be done to balance the requirement of providing the variable-height counter with retaining the originality of the booking hall, including the installation of the narrowest available counter, had been done and said that he thought that the best possible compromise had been achieved. As for the issue of trains using Platform 2, which presents several access difficulties to disabled people, the Panel were advised that only one train a day used Platform 2 and the solution to this problem was that disabled passengers who needed to use this train should contact Scotrail before travelling and a taxi would be provided, free of charge, to transport the person to or from Maybole station, which is accessible. Disabled passengers should contact Scotrail, preferably 24 hours before travelling, on 0800 912 2901.
After discussions with various officials, the Panel received assurances that the Disabled Car Parking Call Bay facility at the Citadel Leisure Centre in Ayr would be reinstated.
Regarding the trial of evening and weekend vehicular access to the High Street, Ayr, the Panel will monitor the effect of the trial on disabled users, suggesting that the 20mph limit and the so called “equal priority” arrangements should be called to the attention of new users of the High Street and advocating careful monitoring of accessible parking bays.
SDEF wrote to advise that two training events on Recruiting and Supporting Volunteers would take place; one in Inverness in November and another in Ayrshire in the New Year.
The meeting of the Ayrshire Access Panels took place in the Town Hall at Cumnock on 6 October 2009. The meeting went well and it was good to meet with the other Panels and discuss matters of mutual interest. This Panel volunteered to accommodate the next event in South Ayrshire in March 2010, venue to be arranged.
The SDEF AGM will take place on 10 December at Perth Concert Hall.
Reports from previous meetings - November 2005 onwards - can be found in the News archive.