A disabled army veteran living on a houseboat in Ancoats has slammed a path that leads to the area’s Marina — saying ‘it’s a state'.
Dave Marshall, 50, lives with his dog Dexter on a boat which is permanently moored on New Islington Marina. His main route access out of the area, and to get to his car, is via a path which runs alongside the doctor’s surgery.
However, the path, which is mainly made of sand, is uneven and can flood or freeze over during wet and cold weather, Dave says. A fall for him is especially dangerous though, due to injuries he sustained during his time in the military.
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“I broke my back and smashed my legs when I was in the army,” Dave told the Manchester Evening News . “If I fall on my knee, or hip, I am like glass at the moment.
“It does not fulfil the objectives of a path anymore. When it’s dark, it’s pitch black because the lights do not work. All the drains are blocked. I have never seen it cleaned.
“I am disabled and there’s no thought for me at all. There’s no thought for anyone disabled. I do not think Manchester is a disability-friendly city.
“When I moved (to Ancoats) 10 years ago, it used to look really nice. Now it’s like living in a building site where no one is taking care of it. It just looks a state. It’s the bane of my life.”
After the M.E.N. contacted Plumlife, the company which owns and manages the area around the Marina, the firm confirmed it was in discussions on resolving the issue. Caroline Millington, director of Private Sector Management, said: “We have been in contact with Mr Marshall about the path and we understand and empathise with his concerns given his mobility issues.
“We are working with the marina operator to repair and reinstate the path to address any accessibility and flooding issues. On the lighting issue, no concerns have been raised with us but we will look into this as a matter of urgency.”
Manchester Councillor Tracey Rawlins, the council's Executive Member for Environment and Transport said: "As a Council we want to ensure that the city is a welcoming and safe environment for all people. We also need to acknowledge the responsibilities we have under the Equality Act as well as the values we profess under the Our Manchester strategy which seeks to make Manchester an equitable and liveable city for all. In these aspects we will always strive to do more.
"Where there is room for improvement we are always grateful to people flagging up issues, and I would encourage people to tell the Council where and when problems arise."
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