To mark the release of the latest Walking and Cycling Index for Dundee, we meet city resident Frances, who discusses the importance of her powered wheelchair to her mental and physical wellbeing.
The Walking and Cycling Index is the biggest assessment of walking, wheeling and cycling in urban areas in the UK and Ireland. It is delivered by Sustrans in collaboration with 23 cities and urban areas. Each city reports on the progress made towards making walking, wheeling and cycling more attractive, everyday ways to travel.
You can read the 2023 Walking and Cycling Index report for Dundee here: https://www.sustrans.org.uk/walking-cycling-index/dundee
I’m Francis and I live in dunde and uh I’ve been here for about 30 years over the years over my um last 30 years or so I’ve had a car um but because due to my uh type of illness it’s a neurological disease I have I can no longer drive so
So um the next best option um was to have a powered wheelchair having H A powered wheelchair is not just a mode of transport outside it’s um it’s my way of uh living it’s my whole life I walk a lot well when I say walk I call them
Wheelies and um I go out for wheelies maybe at least once a day sometimes twice a day I like to meet people uh people are very important in life they they add so much to every day that I might be the only person they see as
Well in that day um I know that feeling so I I I make an effort with that as well you’re still isolated if you go in a car you’re still isolated often if you go on a bus but if you go out walking you’re part of the world and walking it
It gives you exercise it gives you happiness as well as all the mental pluses I feel that there could be improvements made definitely around um not just this area but around uh Dundee itself I found great difficulties uh this morning when I was out for my walk
I had to backtrack and do another uh mile or two around my local area because there are a dreadful lack of dropped cars everywhere I wanted to come off and the problem with that is that I end up on a road I have to say there’s a big
Thumbs up for Union Street and down at the front and the round the VNA is it’s marvelous but the downside obviously is getting there the only way I would get there would be a bus and yet I could take myself there if it was linked and accessible
1 Comment
I agree with so much of what Frances is saying. Dropped kerbs, the quality of the pavements the same can be said of Cycle Ways in the city, ways to safely get down to the City Centre and the Waterfront.