Wheelchair access matting installed at Weston-super-Mare beach
Special matting has been laid at Weston-super-Mare beach to help wheelchair users and others with reduced mobility get onto the sand, with a trial now under way.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Special matting has been installed at one of the main entrances to Weston-super-Mare beach, giving wheelchair users and people who find walking on sand difficult a sturdy surface to cross the promenade and reach the water's edge.
The mats, put down by North Somerset Council after calls from campaigners, are weighed down so they are not washed away by the tide. The council said it had understood the access issues for some time and wanted everyone to enjoy the beach as much as anyone else.
For one wheelchair user, the change is significant. Speaking to the BBC, they said they had not been able to get onto the beach since becoming a wheelchair user and had to watch friends and family from the promenade. "It's frustrating because you're missing out on whatever's going on down here," they said.
The trial is now in full flow, but users say more could be done. Suggestions include more accessible beach chairs and expanding the matting to cover a wider area. The council acknowledged that parts of the beach have stronger tide issues and that sand moves, but said it hoped to make the section bigger and move it further down the beach as the trial progresses.
At the moment the matting covers a relatively small area, but that could be expanded based on feedback from the trial.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC One |
|---|---|
| Matting was installed at a beach entrance, weighed down to prevent tide washout, and may be expanded after a trial. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The report centres on the personal experience of a wheelchair user, contrasting the frustration of being excluded with the relief the matting brings. It also gives the council's perspective and notes the trial nature, with users calling for further improvements such as more accessible chairs and a larger matted area.
- “So I haven't been able to get on the beach since I've become a wheelchair user”
- “The trial is in full flow But users say there are still many improvements that could be made”
- “This is something we've been wanting to do for quite a long time”
Broadcast Timeline
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