BRADFORD on Avon councillor Malcolm Hewson went on a shopping expedition with a difference.

The Wiltshire Lib Dem councillor borrowed a Quingo Mobility Scooter from Bradford-based writer Sue Le Blond, who has multiple sclerosis, to see how well people with physical disabilities can get around the town. Mrs Le Blond set him a series of everyday tasks including buying Ant-Killer, a newspaper and some cheese.

Cllr Hewson said: “It was a tremendously enlightening experience. I suppose I expected an eye-opener, but I was taken aback by the number of simple things that could be done to improve the lives of people with disabilities who use buggies.”

Cllr Hewson said that because the town has a lot of hills, many think that nothing can be done to improve access, but he disagrees.

He said: “I found a large number of places where kerbs on junctions could be dropped.

“Doing that would be of real benefit to the lives of people who depend on scooters for mobility.”

Cllr Hewson said the council had previously dropped some kerbs but a lot more in the town could be lowered.

He intends to review the situation by conducting a full survey of all the streets in Bradford and then will present the findings to the council. Mrs Le Blond, who has lived in Bradford On Avon since 1978 and uses the scooter to get around the town, agreed with Cllr Hewson.

She said: “Many things could be done to make a difference for those of us that have disabilities, but dropped kerbs are key to improving the situation.

“At the moment there are not enough of them and I’m limited to where I can go. I’d like to see a lot more dropped kerbs in the town.”

Cllr Hewson sympathised with the struggle Mrs Le Blond and others with physical disabilities have.

He said: “I think these physical barriers can and should be resolved.

“One other thing I found interesting from my experiment was the mental barriers too.

“I was travelling around in the scooter and it was like people couldn’t see me and they were oblivious to me being there. Even people I’ve known for years couldn't see me."