WITH throngs of tourists, cobbled streets, and bikes attached to every lamp-post, Oxford is not the easiest city for disabled people to live in.

Now a top councillor says he will never look at the city the same way again after spending three hours navigating the centre in an electric wheelchair.

Oxford City Council’s deputy leader Ed Turner found bikes blocking the pavement, a shortage of places to cross the road and impossible access to shops when he spent Saturday morning with disability campaigner Niall Strawson.

Mr Turner said: “As a long-standing Oxford resident, I thought I knew the city pretty well, but the number of challenges and difficulties that someone in a wheelchair faces was an eye-opener.

“Clearly a place like Oxford has a lot of medieval buildings which can present big obstacles, but at the same time there are a number of issues which could be and should be easily remedied, by both the public and private sectors.

“In a number of cases there just were not any dropped kerbs, which meant going on huge detours or being forced to go on to the road.

“I found myself wrestling with a trade waste dustbin at one point, and the number of parked bikes was real problem.”

Mr Strawson, 29, had challenged the councillor to experience life in a wheelchair, after fighting council plans to axe its disabled access officer.

The role, advising businesses how to best adapt their premises, was saved after a campaign by disabled residents, but reduced to a part-time role.

Mr Strawson was left paralysed by a sledging accident two years ago, and had to adapt to navigating the city in a wheelchair.

The Headington resident said: “Before the accident, I thought I was quite aware of these issues and the need for some of the more obvious things like ramps.

“But what you cannot realise is the day-to-day frustrations and problems that makes living life more difficult.”

He added: “The biggest issue I face is access to shops, pubs and restaurants.

“If I wrote letters to every place that I encounter a problem, it would be more than a full-time job. I’m sure modern urban planners are on top of it, but a lot of work needs to be done in Oxford.”

He said more shops and restaurants should provide disabled toilets and better access.

He added: “The thing that struck me on Saturday was that as soon as Ed left the comfort zone of the shopping centres and went round real streets, he almost immediately faced obstacles.

“I have become so used to that, I had almost forgotten what it is like. There was a look of shock on his face.

“He said that he had no idea things were so bad, but that is what it is like when you become disabled overnight.”

Mr Turner said he wanted to increase awareness among the council members and officers, and the wider community about the issues facing disabled people in the city.