A disability awareness event has made councillors aware of access issues in a town centre.

Gravesham’s MP Adam Holloway and county councillors walked together through Gravesend as part of a Disability Awareness Day.

The walk was organised by Gravesham Access Group (Gag), to raise awareness of the challenges people living with a disability face.

Some walkers donned special glasses to simulate visual impairment, while others were sat in wheelchairs, loaned from the Red Cross, as they tried to wheel their way around the town.

Gag members were joined by 18 county and borough councillors and officers, as well as three police officers for the walk on Friday, May 18.

The group started off at Lord Street Car Park, before heading along Windmill Street High Street, for a quick stop at the market.

“Suffice to say that one’s eyes have been opened to the problems experienced by the disabled.” — Gravesham Mayor, Cllr David Hurley

After a quick break, the walkers headed through Jury Street, into St Georges Centre and Thamesgate Centre before walking across Clive Road to the station and up Rathmore Road to their final stop at the Civic Centre for refreshments.

Gag chairman Priscilla McBean thinks there has been a lot of progress in the town.

She said: “The town has made much progress since the passing of the Disability Discrimination Act in 1995.

“But entrance to some premises was still not possible, either because of heavy doors or raised thresholds.

“The town centre seems to be mainly flat, but the novice wheelchair users and carers found steep inclines they had not noticed before.

“Broken paving slabs and uneven surfaces were more noticeable to the temporarily visually impaired.

“Several wheelchair users complained of the bumpiness of the ride and one police officer thought it was easier to steer a supermarket trolley than a wheelchair.”

Gravesham Mayor, Cllr David Hurley, felt the day was “an important, interesting and revealing couple of hours”.

He said: “Suffice to say that one’s eyes have been opened to the problems experienced by the disabled.”

Gag was set up as a local forum to discuss disability concerns in the community and dedicates themselves to working with the local community and working with local authorities and businesses to ensure facilities are accessible.

The group meets at 10am in the Civic Centre on the first Monday of each month. It is open to anyone who has an interest in improving the lives of people living with disabilities.