WALKING through the streets of Tavistock, most people wouldn't think twice about a bollard on the pavement or market stalls spilling out beyond the cover of the pannier market, but such things can cause a great deal of problems to visually or physically disabled people — and one group is campaigning on their behalf to make Tavistock a more accessible place to live and visit.

Tavistock Eyes and Wheels, a community support and pressure group, was set up last year by Peter Morris and his daughter Rhiannon, 24, with the aim of giving a voice to people with various disabilities who have issues within the town.

'We are hoping to make Tavistock a more disabled-friendly town in terms of access and attitude,' said Peter, who has experienced many of the town's obstacles and attitudes towards disability through Rhiannon's visual impairment.

The organisation's main platform is its website containing news, features and acting as a platform for related charities and organisations.

It also features the group's ongoing campaigns, such as 'What a Load of Bollards', highlighting the many bollards and posts situated throughout the town which pose great risks to visually impaired people who may be unable to see them, and for wheelchair users who find it difficult to navigate through tight spaces created by the posts — some of which Peter and Rhiannon feel are 'totally redundant'.

There is also a campaign to combat the issue of dog mess on the streets — people with a visual impairment are unable to walk around it and wheelchair users invariably end up with it on their hands after wheeling through it.

Peter said: 'If someone has got an issue, has felt discrimination, has had a problem with access or any other problem, they can contact us through the website and we will help to the best of our ability.

'We also use the site as a portal for news and events, and try to offer a range of support to disabled people and their carers.

'We want to move into specific campaigns — things we feel Tavistock is lacking and things that impinge negatively on the lives of the disabled and aim to bring them forward to the authorities.

'We also find the positive aspects and highlight them.'

Particular issues that Peter and Rhiannon feel are present in the town include recent changes to the Pannier Market, with stalls now set up in the market perimeter.

Peter said this gives the idea that the area is pedestrianised and poses risks.

He said: 'The pannier market is not as disabled-friendly as it should be and the changes could be detrimental.

'I heard they want to pebble the area which is not good for wheelchair users or anyone with a disability, and the big doors are heavy and difficult to use.

'I know there is only so much that can be achieved in an old town with old infrastructure but we're trying to be pragmatic.'

They also feel the changes made to Bedford Car Park have had a negative effect on disabled people, with the loss of five disabled parking bays.

'The gates and barriers are an obstacle for wheelchair users and they haven't put the disabled bays back in the Wharf end of the car park, which means they have to walk from one end of the car park to the other,' said Peter.

'Around the Wharf the gates shut at 6.30pm so if there is an event on, the disabled bay is shut off and there is insufficient parking.'

Peter said it is for these kind of issues that Tavistock Eyes and Wheels wants to act as a voice for disabled people.

He said: 'As far as I can tell, disabled people tend to work within the current structure. I feel that disabled people feel less accommodated and if that's the case, they tend to stay at home and not integrate. We're trying to change things to help accommodate them.'

The group has lots of ideas — most of which have come through Rhiannon's experiences.

Rhiannon has deliberately tried to involve herself in situations to test whether organisations and businesses in the town were geared up for disabled people, and she has found that many are failing to provide information for her.

Peter said: 'In the long term we would like to get places such as the swimming pool, museum and tourist information centre to give people access to information in large print and braille to improve the quality of the experience.

'At the moment, people are unlikely to ask for it because they automatically think it is not going to be available.

'Unless you are disabled or a carer you don't see things in the same way.

'We would like to see the museum more blind-friendly like in London museums where there is audio information.

'Everything in the Tavistock museum is in cases so there isn't even a tactile experience.

'The shops need to do more for disabled people, not just for inclusion, but there is evidence that disabled people are turning away from traditional shopping and using the internet, which will ultimately have an effect on the shops.'

Peter highlighted that there are positives in the town, however, as he believes the Bedford Hotel was considering making changes to improve its access, which he hopes others will follow.

And he said West Devon Borough Council had acted efficiently to an incident where someone who was visually impaired slipped on some litter while walking down Madge Lane.

They got in touch with Tavistock Eyes and Wheels which contacted Tidy Tavy to see if they could focus their efforts on Madge Lane.

Tidy Tavy liaised with the borough council's waste department and the litter was removed from the area.

There was also success for the group after Peter wrote a blog piece on the website about Christmas traders putting their wares onto the street on an area where the pavement lowers, which was Tweeted and picked up by a West Devon Councillor and the situation was rectified within a few hours.

Peter said this was an example of the pressure group making a change.

At only a few months old, Tavistock Eyes and Wheels is still fairly new and it is hoped the group can continue to act as a voice for people with disabilities and make positive changes for people in the town.

A spokesman for Tavistock Town Council this week told the Times: 'The council would be happy to consider any representations from groups as to how things can be made better in the town and look at how to work together to address these.'

A spokesman for West Devon Borough Council said: 'The council's pay and display machines are compliant with legislation protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Blue badge-holders get an extra hour of free parking on top of any period they pay for.

'We have an assisted collection service for people with disabilities who find it difficult to put their recycling and waste out at the kerbside.

'We can provide home visits for people with disabilities who are making a benefits claim or housing application.

'Means tested grants are available for people with disabilities to pay for adaptations and equipment to help them live safely at home. In some cases, we may be able to help people move to more suitable accommodation.

'Our documents or publications can be provided in large print or other formats on request, and we are part of a partnership with Devon County Council which allows us to use an approved British Sign Language signer, if needed.

For more information or to contact Tavistock Eyes and Wheels visit http://www.tavistockeyes.com">www.tavistockeyes.com or follow the group on Twitter on @TavistockEyes.