IT’S about time that those responsible for taking planning decisions in the Lake District began to pay more attention to the needs of people with restricted personal mobility.

They should remember that the beauty of the area can be enjoyed by those of us who rely on vehicular transport, but we also wish to eat and sleep.

It means ensuring that accommodation and eating places have the basics in place – ramps and rails, for example.

On my recent visits I have seen developments and alterations that extend over, and cover up, disabled parking spaces, a newly refurbished and expensive hotel with a rickety and inaccessible 19th Century lift, and steps in a recently refurbished hotel without a hand hold of any description. So, I’m not talking about disabled bathrooms or stair lifts, though they would be appreciated - just the relatively inexpensive basics.

To ignore our needs is not even commercially sensible, let alone socially acceptable. As the population ages, there are more of us than ever before, and we have money to spend. Given the opportunity, we would probably outspend some of the groups that the Lake District tries so hard to attract, cyclists for example.

Tourism businesses in the Lake District that wish to redevelop or expand their premises should be obliged to provide sufficient disabled parking spaces, ramps, and handrails, as an absolute minimum.

Also, existing businesses should be inspected to ensure that they are doing everything within reason to be accessible, as many of them are not.

The situation has been ignored for too long and is a disgrace.

Paul Rouse

Sutton upon Derwent