No way through for disabled in Chapel St Leonards

Frustrated caravanner Ian Mann, who recently flagged up the litter problem along the walkway, sent more pictures to the Skegness Standard, illustrating the problems faced by cyclists, mums with pushchairs, and the elderly and disabled on mobility scooters.

He said: “As the season has just started, you would think the promenade would be cleared of sand.

“People with pushchairs, mobility scooters and the elderly will all struggle to get past this sand mass.

“People on bikes could come off injuring themselves badly.

“Yet again this area is suffering through neglect.”

Resident Gordon Cook lives in Chapel St Leonards and says he struggles to get his mum to Ingoldmells.

He said: “You can’t get the mobility scooter there by bus and the only accessible path is on the promenade - right now it’s covered in sand, some spots nearly a foot deep.”

Mr Mann pointed out Chapel St Leonards Parish Council had a machine for the clearing of sand.

Parish clerk Michael Green said the matter was ‘in hand’.

He said: “Although the parish council has no statutory responsibility to clear sand, and is not funded to do so, we did buy an Avant loader for the purpose in October 2013.

“However, two recent developments have temporarily stopped us using it.

“The competency requirements for the use of the machine have changed so we now have to get the staff re-trained.

“Also we have lost a member of staff who has found employment elsewhere and, until that vacancy is filled, we are shorthanded. Out statutory duties must come first, but both of these matters are in hand.”