8 January 2010 SNOW and wheelchair users stranded

With all this snow over the last 3 weeks the weather has caused major havoc for disabled people who use wheelchairs!
I myself use a powered wheelchair and have been unable to go out the house since the snow started.
Although main roads are being cleared my side street road in Nunthorpe Middlesbrough hasnt been touched once and is getting compacted with snow and ice as it keeps falling then freezing. The pavements are the biggest problem for me. My wheelchair cannot manage when snow is more than a few cm's. I become stuck or skid which can be very dangerous and frightening.
Over the christmas period I manged to get out once with extreme difficulty to visit family on christmas day.
However this week I have been back to work. I work in a primary school which has been open all week when surrounding schools have been closed. Even with a severe disability I have made it to work when others havent. This is because my dad has been clearing the drive way and then the ramps on the taxi I use to get to work come right over the path so Im not touching the pavement where it is snowy and icy. Except for this journey I am spending the rest of the day stuck at home.
Even if I managed to get to town the streets there havent been cleared either so getting from shop to shop etc would be hazardous.
It is very annoying that nothing is being done to help clear the snow and ice on pavements. I havent seen friends since before christmas as getting to them who are also wheelchair users is just to difficult.
If councils dont begin to start clearing soon I cant see when I will get out onto a pavement!!!

Tags: North East, campaiging

7 Comments

• Jennifer Gallacher replied on 11 Jan 2010 at 14:27
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  BBC Look North have contacted me and want to do an interview about this.

• Jennifer Gallacher replied on 12 Jan 2010 at 16:32
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  interview not to go ahead now.

• Jagdeep Kaur Sehmbi replied on 12 Jan 2010 at 17:30
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  that's a shame.. did they give a reason why?

• Bobby Ancil replied on 13 Jan 2010 at 13:12
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  Hi Jenny

  How did they find out you had an opinion on the subject?

  Hope you are getting some thaw action now!

• Jennifer Gallacher replied on 13 Jan 2010 at 13:52
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  Bobby I commented the same opinion on their website and also posted it as a blog here.
  They contacted me through my email. But they have decided to go with another story instead. The reporter did say that I can contact her in future with any news story I have. She seemed keen to get disability issues accross to the public.

• Rachel McDermott replied on 24 Feb 2010 at 17:09
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  Hi Jennifer,
  I am a trainee journalist covering a story about wheelchair users having problems accessing bars and clubs for various reasons.
  I would very much like to speak to you or someone else from the Trailblazers group if you wouldn't mind to get some opinions from you on how you feel about this matter?
  If you are interested in talking to me, that would be great. Would you mind sending me an email about how the best way to get in touch with you would be?
  Rachel McDermott

• Jennifer Gallacher replied on 24 Feb 2010 at 18:00
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  Rachel I dont want to put my email address on this blog so if you can contact the Trailblazers office and ask for my details I am happy for them to be passed on to you that way.

  Jenny Gallacher

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