Speed bumps 'bar disabled access'

7.05.50pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 7th Mar 2007

A DISABLED woman who broke her back five years ago claims she is being denied access to Ilkley Moor because of speed bumps which are too painful for her to drive over. Christine Gale, of Addingham, is calling on Bradford Council to assess whether the traffic-calming measures it has introduced on the route are preventing disabled drivers from using it.

She fractured her spine in a sledging accident five years ago but is normally able to drive over speed bumps without any difficulty. However she told the Yorkshire Post that speed bumps along the route mean she cannot use Hangingstone Road and Moor Road skirting the edge of Ilkley Moor because they cause her so much pain.

The 11 speed control round road humps were approved by Bradford Council's Shipley Area Committee in 2003 and have been in place for the past three years. But now Mrs Gale is asking the authority to carry out an assessment as part of its Disability Equality Duty.

The legislation, which came into effect in December, last year, means public sector organisations have to assess what impact their services have on disabled people.

Mrs Gale said: "I am not against speed bumps and I can drive over others, such as those in Spring Lane, Ilkley, but those on Ilkley Moor are too severe." She has written to Bradford Council saying: "I believe little or no consideration was taken into account concerning disabled drivers when the speed bumps were originally installed.

"The Disability Rights Commission has advised me to ask Bradford Council to carry out a retrospective impact assessment as part of their Disability Equality Duty on the said speed bumps, to report back to the council and upon any uponany of their recommendations."

She has also claimed that the road humps have failed to control speeding traffic along the road.

Her husband Andrew said: "When we first drove over them she was in a lot of pain. These speed bumps are stopping disabled drivers and people with back pain from being able to travel over or enjoy Ilkley Moor."

A Bradford Council spokeswoman said: "We will look at the issues that Mrs Gale faces with the speed bumps on Ilkley Moor/Burley Woodhead Road and investigate and we will reply to Mrs Gale direct with the findings."