00:00I did it but it's not it's not suitable.
00:04Sarah-Jane lives in Favresham and uses a mobility scooter.
00:07She recently travelled to London as part of a national challenge
00:10organised by the Spinal Injuries Association
00:13to highlight barriers disabled people face when travelling.
00:16Well I think I've managed to sort out the journey, not easy.
00:22One of the most tricky bits was I'd ring different stations
00:26to find out if the lift was working because obviously without the lift
00:30couldn't do it and they say oh yes it's working today
00:35but it wasn't working yesterday we can't guarantee it.
00:39More than one station said that to me.
00:41The main problem on the train was the bit where you get on,
00:46I think it's called a vestibule, have got two big poles in the middle.
00:54In my opinion they need to have one of those vestibules
00:58especially for wheelchairs and scooters where there aren't two great poles in the middle.
01:04Despite these difficulties she says the trip itself went well
01:08but wants to raise awareness of what everyday journeys are like closer to home.
01:12For a lot of people going to get a train or going to get coffee can be quite easy
01:16but for people who need to use a wheelchair or a scooter Sarah Jane says that those journeys
01:20require a lot of forward planning and can be quite scary.
01:24Coming up here as you saw the cobbles, a lot of cobbles which aren't helpful.
01:31I've managed, this is a better scooter than the one I had before, it's a bit more sturdy
01:35so it can manage the cobbles but I don't like it so I'm always worried I'm going to tip over.
01:44She says uneven pavements, narrow routes and blocked dropped curbs can make navigating parts
01:50of the town difficult and sometimes unsafe.
01:54That bit is a bit raised before the glass bit and I was coming past you and it tipped me
01:59up that way.
02:00It probably didn't but it felt as if it was. That's when I get nervous. I didn't like that.
02:08Charles Gibson of Faversham Town Council said the authority is taking steps to improve
02:13accessibility across the town. He said Faversham Town Council is working to make the town more
02:19accessible for people walking and wheeling. A list of new dropped curbs has been drawn up,
02:24pending funding from Kent County Council. Further plans aim to improve access to the town centre,
02:30including reducing parking while safeguarding the town's historic character.
02:35Kent County Council have been approached for a statement.
02:38Although she spoke positively about Faversham, Sarah Jane hopes that she will be able to help
02:43improve accessibility, not just for her but for others across Kent facing similar challenges.
02:49Kristen Hawthorne, KMTV, in Faversham.
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