Brixham mum 'scared' to go out in electric wheelchair because of town's roads
Watch Jacquie Bird's report above
A mum from Brixham says she's too frightened to leave her house alone because of the hazards she faces in her electric wheelchair.
Jody Caple nearly fell out of her chair when it got stuck on a dropped kerb in her hometown.
She says road layouts, uneven dropped kerbs, parking and pavements blocked with bins means she is unable to have her independence.
Jody lives with constant pain, a legacy of surgery five years ago. It has made her a prisoner in her own home as walking even short distances has been impossible for her.
Buying an electric wheelchair was supposed to transform her life, but the first time she used it, she nearly fell out of it after getting it caught on a dropped kerb.
Jody is calling on drivers - and councils - to be more aware of the issues she faces.
She said: "My chair tipped back with me still in it and if it wasn't for my daughter being there with me I probably would have been on the road. I haven't gone out on my own since."
"It's not something you think about being able-bodied [accessibility].
"I never thought about it, I just knew Brixham, i know it's hilly but there's dropped kerbs everywhere so I didn't think it would actually be that much of an issue, but it really is, it's horrendous."
Jody says being forced to use a wheelchair has opened her eyes to the hazards disabled people face.
She says drivers often park across dropped kerbs, making it impossible for her to cross.
Torbay Council says it is aware of accessibility problems in Brixham but says because of the constrained road layout here, there is little that can be done about it.
In a statement, the council said: “We are aware that the topography and constrained road layout in Brixham is a challenge to some road users and not something that we can easily solve.
"In recent years at many locations around Torbay, we have reacted to issues raised around dropped kerbs on footways where they have cause difficulties for vulnerable road users.
"If the locations in question can be identified directly to us, then we will investigate whether improvements can be made.
"Over 10-years of under investment into our highway network has left us with a back log of repair, maintenance, and improvement issues.
"We are currently trying to manage this budget challenge with competing demands and any future improvement works would need to be considered as part of our wider highway’s investment programme.
"Any problems relating to our roads and pavements can be reported through the council’s website. By building up an accurate picture of what type of repair and improvement works are required we can plan to address them.”