Arun admits '˜issues' with Bognor beach accessibility

(Something which the letter from Mrs J.E. Coles last week addressed).

While a spokesperson for Arun confirmed the council is ‘keen to make our beaches in Arun as accessible as possible to both visitors and residents’, the shingle and national building regulations were cited as being ‘issues’.

They said: “The National Building Regulations state that any ramp which is intended to provide pedestrian access must comply with the Disability Discrimination Act.”

The requirements, in terms of ‘gradient and length’, mean ‘if a ramp were to be introduced across the beach it would need to zig-zag’.

Differences between the upper ‘relatively stable’ part of the beach and the lower which ’moves with every tide’ was blamed for making ‘it more difficult and costly to provide a sustainable and safe access ramp solution’.

They added that ‘viewing platforms onto the upper part of some of our beaches already exist’ and the council is fully supportive of any ‘technically feasible’, ‘deliverable’ and ‘financially affordable’ ideas.

http://www.bognor.co.uk/news/your-say/letter-bognor-beach-not-accessible-1-7498610

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.bognor.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BognorRegisObserver

3) Follow us on Twitter @BogObserver

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Bognor Observer - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.