Street access concern for disabled

A disabled group in Derby has expressed concern at the growing number of advertising hoardings being built on the city's pavements.

The billboards are seven foot tall, and have been introduced by the city council to stop fly-posting.

But Janet Seymour Curke, from the British Council of Disabled People, is not impressed.

She feels they are a safety hazard and restrict access.

Trial basis

She said: "It is going to take away people's access and that will affect a lot of people.

"Certainly, for disabled people in a wheelchair it is going to be quite a problem to get round, especially if there is something like a tree next to it.

"They would not put a seat in such a place so why are they putting an advertising hoarding here?"

A spokesman for the council said: "We have introduced the information pillars to cut down on fly posting by providing an outlet for people who want to advertise legitimately at a reasonable cost.

"However, in positioning them we were very conscious that they may have an impact for disabled people, particularly visually impaired people, moving around town.

"They are there on a trial basis and we will be taking people's views into account in deciding if they are currently in the right place."