Plaid Cymru Dwyfor Meirionnydd The Rt Hon. Liz Saville Roberts MP and Mabon ap Gwynfor MS

Plaid Cymru Senedd Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Mabon ap Gwynfor has sought clarity from the Welsh government on how the access needs of disabled people and those with mobility issues are considered when making town planning decisions.  

Mr ap Gwynfor raised the matter in the Senedd following a walkabout with Pwllheli resident and wheelchair user Catalina Harper, to see first-hand the considerable challenges faced by people with mobility issues in navigating streets and pavements.  

Mr ap Gwynfor and Catalina were accompanied on their route around Pwllheli by local County Councillor Elin Hywel and MP Liz Saville Roberts.

Questioning the Minister, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said:

I had the privilege of going around Pwllheli very recently with Catalina Harper. Catalina Harper is in a wheelchair, and so, it's very difficult for her to travel around the town, or indeed any other town, and when she goes around corners, often, because the pavement is uneven, the wheelchair tips over or the pavements become very narrow, which means she is unable to access essential services, unable to go shopping; sometimes when she wants to get on a bus, the pavements haven't been raised to a sufficient level to enable her to get on the bus, and a whole host of other problems. Catalina Harper in Pwllheli is just one example - this is true of many other people with disability or mobility issues in communities across Wales. So, we need to ensure that in spatial planning in developing urban plans for towns, they are suitable for people who use wheelchairs or who have mobility difficulties. So, what plans will you put in place to ensure that local governments do consider the needs of people such as Catalina in developing their town plans?

Councillor Elin Hywel added:

I was pleased to have the privilege of going around Pwllheli with Katalina. I would like to say a huge thank you to her and her partner for giving their time to give us the opportunity to share their experiences and gain an understanding of the real challenges of travelling around town in a wheelchair. There is work to be done to ensure that all residents of our town can claim their independence. I look forward to working with Liz and Mabon to drive forward and lobby for the necessary changes.