On Tuesday morning I spent a fascinating couple of hours finding out what it’s like to be in a mobility scooter in Stockport town centre.

I was ably escorted on my tour by Stephanie, Vice-Chair of Shopmobility and by Shopmobility manager John Leatherbarrow. Shopmobility is the charity – part Council funded – that hires out mobility scooters in the town centre and at Stepping Hill Hospital.

Having taken my test (yes, I have the certificate to prove it), I set out to find the good and bad of being on a mobility scooter.

First the good – because there’s a lot of it. Mobility scooters give people real freedom to shop, to socialise, or simply to get out and about. (Apparently the scooters should be able to travel 20 miles before the battery needs recharging, but I wasn’t about to put that to the test).

We travelled around Merseyway, down to the Peel Centre and up to the Town Hall in relative comfort. Because you’re low down, people don’t always see you, but pretty much without exception the people of Stockport were polite and helpful when they did.

But there are problems too, as Steph was keen to show me.

• A narrow pavement can make it almost impossible to maneuver into a shop, even if there’s an automatic door.
• A few dropped kerbs in the right places can make getting around much easier.  Without a dropped kerb, scooter users are pretty much stuck.
• In shops, a bit of thought in arranging things can make a big difference.  A sign or stand that’s too close to the lift can make maneuvering very difficult.  Clothes rails not spaced far enough apart mean scooter users can’t get between them.
• No automatic doors means a scooter user having to wait for someone to come along and help – not the most empowering of experiences.
• Small holes in the pavement can cause big jolts when you’re on a scooter.
• Getting round roadworks can be a problem.  When we rode up the towards the Town Hall, we had to skirt round the paving works.  The barriers were just too narrow for a scooter to get through – though to be fair one of the lads on the site was straight over and moving them out.

Shopmobility is a great scheme, and I take my hat off to the people who make it all happen – employees and volunteers.  It makes a real difference to people’s lives and it’s accessible for all.

To join the Stockport scheme, please phone 0161 666 1100. There is a small fee to join. Scooters can be hired between 9am-5pm.

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