A FRUSTRATED resident has spoken out about the lack of wheelchair access to two stores at Gemini Retail Park.

The Callands resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, has expressed her ongoing ‘frustration’ at the inaccessibility to both the Boots and Next stores located on the complex.

As a mother to a child who is a wheelchair user, she said: “The only way for a wheelchair/mobility customer to safely access Next and Boots is if they travelled by car and parked in a disabled space.

“This shouldn’t be the only option as a lot of local residents walk to avoid the traffic at peak times and to enjoy having these shops in local distance.

“Some people aren’t lucky enough to own a car and if they use a wheelchair they are risking their lives trying to access the car park as the pedestrian footpath isn’t an option for them and they have to use the main busy road just to get onto the car park.”

The resident added that her daughter ‘relies on chronic pain medication from Boots’ which she must collect from the Gemini store.  But due to the lack of wheelchair access, she must go alone and cannot take her daughter along to browse the shops too.

“I have contacted WBC again about this issue today, after walking there last night to collect my daughter’s medication and getting frustrated again that nothing has been done in all these years.

“The rest of the retail park is fully accessible, and I can’t believe this hasn’t been flagged up by anyone else,” she added.

The resident, who has contacted Warrington Borough Council previously about the issue, said that the solution would be to put a designated pedestrian crossing near to the stores for wheelchair users to use.

“Something needs to be done, we are in 2024 where inclusivity should matter.

"Aldi have a fantastic access route for customers - maybe they could learn a lot from them," she said.

Commenting on the issues, a spokesperson for Warrington Borough Council said: “The land and footpath into Boots is privately owned.

“We will contact the landowner and advise on appropriate improvements needed.”

Boots has been contacted for comment.