Access concerns for disabled tourists visiting Haworth (From Keighley News)

Access concerns for disabled tourists visiting Haworth

2:00pm Saturday 5th January 2013 in News

Councillor Barry Thorne has raised concerns about disabled access in Haworth, particularly along its cobbled streets

Fears about lack of accessibility for disabled visitors in Haworth are due to be raised at a meeting in the village later this month.

The issue will be debated at a meeting of the Bronte Country Tourism Partnership on January 16. The organisation markets Haworth and the Worth Valley as a visitor destination.

Concern about the situation for tourists with mobility problems was expressed late last year by Johnnie Briggs, who runs the Bronte Walks tour company.

He said the seriousness of the situation was illustrated to him personally when a woman in a wheelchair took part in one of his tours round Haworth’s historic attractions.

“It took four of us to move her around, and showed just how difficult it is for anyone in a wheelchair to move from one place to another in the village,” he said. “The wheelchair had to be picked up and carried for parts of the tour. It was an uncomfortable experience for this woman.”

Mr Briggs added: “It’s not until you try and help a person with a form of mobility issue that you realise how bad it is. It could be someone in a wheelchair, or maybe people who use a walking frame or stick.

“This has fallen off the radar – we’ve just stopped thinking about what we should be doing to address it. But there are a whole range of small things that can be done. We need to find a solution.”

Haworth, Cross Roads and Stan-bury parish councillor Barry Thorne, who has spent years campaigning for a better deal for people with disabilities, acknowledged accessibility is a problem in the village.

“Partly it’s because of the nature of Haworth,” he said. “A lot of it is heritage buildings, and then there’s the slopes, the cobbles and steps leading into shops.

“Putting ramps everywhere wouldn’t work. This would need a survey to see what can and can’t be done, but whatever you do isn’t going to be perfect.

“I’ve seen people having difficulties here before. There are obstacles just about everywhere.”

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