Disabled man travels in wheelchair on main road to get to bus stop

Wheelchair user Mohammad Moghadamshad, who is known as Shad, says that in order to reach his nearest bus stop, he has no alternative but to go on to the busy A78 trunk road towards oncoming traffic.

Shad has been living in the Toward development, just off Greenock Road in Wemyss Bay, since February.

The 49-year-old lives with muscular dystrophy and uses a motorised wheelchair in the house and to get out and about.

The entrance to the development has no dropped kerbs, and the pavements taper away into grass at the side of the main road.

Councillor James Daisley is helping Shad in his fight for a safer environment for wheelchair users. (Image: George Munro)

When he is out on his own, to get to the bus stop on the other side of the road, Shad has to drive his wheelchair out of the main entrance of the development and on to the A78, directly facing southbound travel.

Only after 50 metres does the pavement drop slightly, allowing him to get across the road.

He then has to travel back in the opposite direction on the other side of the road to reach the bus stop.

If Shad wants to go in the direction of Skelmorlie, there’s a tiny bus stop built into the pavement which he is able to get to himself.

With support from Inverclyde councillor James Daisley, Shad is now calling for the entrance to the development to be redesigned to allow him to get out and about safely and independently.

Shad, 49, told the Telegraph: “It’s really dangerous. Drivers are shocked when they see me on the road. They don’t expect to see anyone there.

“I don’t want to have to be on the road but I am forced to do it. There’s no way for me to get across in my wheelchair on my own.

“The road narrows away to nothing and there’s no pavement to go along.

“The roads are not designed for wheelchairs."

Shad and his wife Houra, who are originally from Iran, moved to Scotland almost three years ago.

He was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy 25 years ago and has been using a wheelchair for the last decade.

Shad, who is a psychologist, says that when Houra is not around, he has no way to get out on his own as there’s no-one to tip the wheelchair up and down off kerbs.

Councillor James Daisley with Shad and his wife Houra. (Image: George Munro)

Shad said: “We have to go out together for me to be safe.”

Houra, 45, added: “Within the environment here, the pavements are really narrow. It is a challenge for him.

“I have to tip the wheelchair to get him on and off the kerbs.  

“It is not just Shad; this is about everyone with disabilities.”

(Image: George Munro)

(Image: George Munro)

Councillor Daisley said he has contacted Amey, who are responsible for maintaining the A78, about the challenges faced by Shad.

Councillor Daisley added: “I am pleased that Amey are engaging with me and I want to work constructively with them.  

“It’s unacceptable that Shad has to do this. What if something goes wrong?

“For most of us, a dropped kerb is something we barely notice. For people using wheelchairs, there is a mountain to climb if they don’t have a dropped kerb.

“How many other places like this are there in Inverclyde?”

(Image: George Munro)

Councillor Daisley said he wants to work with different organisations to look at the wider network and at the challenges faced by wheelchair users.

He added: “I want us to work together and work more widely.

“We have to go around the pavement network to identify barriers proactively.  

“The person using the wheelchair doesn’t care about who owns the road and who carries out the work. They just want it to be fixed and to get around safely.

“There is no joined up thinking here. Safety is paramount. That should be the number one priority.”

 Amey has been contacted for comment.