Back in 2015, several problems were identified with the ramp at the side entrance to the hospital. It went directly into the path of the road and there was a very tight, uneven right-hand turn at the bottom which made it very difficult for wheelchair users to avoid going into the road and into the path of any oncoming traffic. The turn also caused problems for people who walk with the aid of a stick or crutches. There was no tactile paving to indicate to people with a visual impairment where the slope finishes and the road begins so that they didn’t walk into the path of any oncoming traffic.
After unsuccessfully trying to get the Trust to change the layout of the ramp we contacted Sefton Council and the Building Control department agreed that the layout was unacceptable. Work on the ramp was completed in September 2016 and it now runs parallel to the side of the building and there is tactile paving to indicate to people who are visually impaired where the zebra crossing is.
