‘WE HAVE listened to residents’ – that was the message from Malvern Hills District Council (MHDC) as it announced two new fully accessible paths at Upton’s Hanley Road Car Park.
As part of the proposals, a wheelchair-friendly path would be installed to provide access to Warner’s on Hanley Road. A second would be introduced between the car park and toilets and Hanley Road, enabling access to and from Upton town centre.
Since Warner’s opened in 2020, shoppers have been using a gap in their boundary wall to the adjacent car park. It is designed only for emergency use at times of flooding.
The short-cut meant shoppers were using an unsurfaced access and crossing the busy car park entrance used by coaches, cars and HGVs to the household waste site.
The council said this created a health and safety issue for both Warner’s and the council.
Seeking advice and submitting a proposal
Following advice, MHDC is proposing installation of a ramp that complies with the disability legislation and accesses Hanley Road. Views for both pedestrians and car park traffic are clearer.
The second path provides a direct, level access to Hanley Road toilets and via ramps to the car park.
The ramp and path, which will be funded by Malvern Hills District Council with a contribution from Warner’s will cost £22,000. The proposal will be considered by the council’s executive committee at its meeting on February 14.
Coun Peter Whatley, MHDC’s portfolio holder for resources, said: “We have understood the concerns of people who regularly use Hanley Road car park.
“If approved, the installation of these paths to the store will make a real difference to the residents of Upton.”
