The basis of this campaign is to get the lift open at weekends during winter and autumn. Thanet District Council say it will cost too much. Are they considering needs of  disabled, elderly or parents with children in pushchairs? No they are not........

Many people live and visit Broadstairs and relay on the lift to get down to the beach all year long. For some with a disability, elderly or with children in pushchairs the only other access is via slopes at Louisa bay and Dumption Gap both very step. Or down Harbour street with busy traffic and no footpaths wide enough.

Remember this, being open just for the season of spring and summer is not enough. Those with a disability do not have a seasonal condition it is for life and so for inclusion is an important factor of life that they have the right to have the same access as sighted peers.

Please read updates on the comments / update pages

Therefore this petition will remain active until the lifts are open at weekends during low season.

The purpose of this petition is as follows-

1. The lift to be fully repaired and maintained throughout the year.

2. Access is available to ALL out of season weekends throughout the year not just during the summer. 

3. A suitable funding package is put in place by TDC to achieve this goal.

Please share to gain more awareness thank you plus you can view the TV coverage here. 2021 Meridian News Click to view ITV Meridian News coverage in 2021

ITV COVERAGE

Barry Stickings MBE

BACKGROUND This started because Thanet District Council announced on 01/04/21 that the lifts at Viking Bay will be closed this is their statement as detailed below.

On the Thanet council website a statement says: “Unfortunately our seaside lifts at Viking Bay and Ramsgate remain closed. Even if temporary repairs can be made to get the lifts open, contractors have advised there is no guarantee they will stay working during the season.

“A long-term strategy for both lifts will be formulated to consider their future. In the meantime, the council has measures in place to allow for alternative accessible routes to the beach, which include:

A slope was installed at one side of the beach (Harbour Street, Broadstairs) to lengthen the boardwalk and allow for alternative accessible routes to the beach.”

This was not good enough and needs to be addressed, the slope is too differcult for this with mobility issues and wheelchairs especially going up.

This impacts massively on our disabled community. I have a son who is blind the lift is helpful for him on some occasions but more so for those who have other issues. This impacts severely on our disabled community and disabled visitors plus those who are elderly or have walking / mobility issues. This lift is part of Broadstairs , visitors flock to our beautiful town and love the fact that it's open to all to use ALL amenities. It will have an impact not only on them but our local shops and business’s who some will no longer be able to reach.

Give our disabled and elderly residents and visitors the same level of inclusion and access as their peers. Everybody needs access. Our disabled community and those who need this lift including our visitors will lose access because of this action, please help and support this campaign so TDC will look at this situation and make the lifts permanently open to all year round.

As you may know in 2021 I started this petition as there was concern that the lift at Viking bay would close and it proved to spur the matter on with TV, newspaper and radio coverage. So on  26/08/21 The lift at Viking Bay was opened but not for all year round use. It is now fully operational but only from Easter until the end of the summer and being used by all during this period., these lifts are not just for the summer seasons but for the year giving access to all. TDC at a meeting I attended in 2012 said well people with disabilities can use Harbour street well this is a narrow street and not suitable with wheelchair users those with walking issues or elderly.