Nearly all of the top ten most accessible beaches are in just three counties, according to new research.
Keep Moving Care analysed 30 top-rated UK beaches against 10 criteria points – whether the beaches had received a Blue Flag award; existence of ramps, slopes, or slipways; step-free access to beach; step-free access to water; disabled toilet facilities; number of disabled toilets; disabled parking; beach accessible wheelchair hire; availability of beach accessible wheelchairs for hire; and Mobi-mat hire – to determine the best accessible beaches in the UK. Dorset, Cornwall and West Sussex beaches all appeared in the top ten, with Norfolk, Essex and North Yorkshire beaches appearing in the top twenty.
Kent, which has one of the longest coastlines in the country, didn’t make the list at all.
DR UK’s Fazilet Hadi said: “Everyone deserves access to sun, sea and sand. While we can’t guarantee the sun in this country, there is no reason why councils should not be making more efforts to make beaches truly accessible for Disabled people under their Equality Act obligations.”