In-Clusive: disability-inclusive sustainable & active travel

28/07/2026

How wonderful to be able to share this.
Families in Exeter who have children with additional needs might find this helpful.

Now to get streets and junctions ready to welcome them...

From rear-steer tandems to e-bikes, Kate Ball shares practical advice on cycling with disabled children for everyday journeys.

05/07/2026

Can anyone go to this?

📣 Just a reminder – everyone's welcome this Tuesday!

This Tuesday 7th July, we're delighted to be welcoming Designability to our Exeter showroom for their Unfair Index Community Listening Session.

🕙 Drop in anytime between 10:00am and 1:00pm

This is your chance to help shape future accessibility solutions by sharing your experiences, whether it's the everyday challenges you face, barriers you've encountered, or ideas that could make a real difference.

Whether you're a wheelchair user, have a hidden disability, care for someone, or simply want to contribute your perspective, your voice matters.

As a thank you for taking part, Designability will provide each participant with a £10 voucher.

No booking is required – just pop in, enjoy a chat, and help influence the future of accessible design.

📍 Exeter Disability Centre, Merriott House, Hennock Road, Marsh Barton, Exeter.

26/06/2026

IN-CLUSIVE have taken the time to respond to the Exeter city centre plan. It seemed big on nice words and low on deliverables that improve access for disabled people.
Here are some the recommendations we've made:
(If you'd like to help shape these responses in future, do get in touch we'd love to have you board).

IN-CLUSIVE welcomes the commitment to clear streets and recommends that the measure of success be amended to include: (1) appropriate enforcement of the Clear Streets Charter and (2) a commitment to quantifiable improvements to pavements that currently exclude those with difficulty walking or using a wheelchair.

IN-CLUSIVE welcomes the commitment to making the city centre safer and reducing the number of collisions. The High St currently requires that buses and people cycling mix and the section between Queen St and South St is a particular concern for disabled cyclists - who report buses not ceding priority and disabled cyclists being unable to dismount to avoid this situation. IN-CLUSIVE recommends that the metric is widened to include a regular survey of people using the High St and their perceptions of safety.

IN-CLUSIVE recommends quantifying the measure of success, committing to increasing the number of rail stations that are fully accessible to people using wheelchairs and other mobility devices. (Both Exeter St James and Exeter St Thomas are currently not accessible).

IN-CLUSIVE recommends that one metric of success should be an increase in the number of cycle parking areas - quantifying and reducing the current gaps in provision. Many disabled people use their cycle or tricycle as a mobility aid. They may have a limited walking distance. Map availability and ensure cycle parking is available at least every 25m in the city centre business and shopping areas. Ensure cycle parking is fully accessible with dropped kerbs and marked areas for larger bikes/ tricycles.

You can submit your views too - by 29June

Exeter City Council is seeking views on its draft City Centre Strategy, covering 2026–31, which sets out a vision for its appearance, safety, its economy, living and connectivity. The strategy aims to capture pride in our city centre, whilst increasing its offer and range of experiences.

24/06/2026

What a great opportunity to tell it like it is. What holds you back? Pavement parking? Uneven pavements? Unsafe cycle lanes? Time to speak up

In addition to the ongoing Local Active Lives Survey, we are inviting residents from St Thomas and Wonford to take part in focus groups exploring physical activity, wellbeing, and local opportunities to be active.

These sessions are a chance for residents to share their experiences in a relaxed, informal setting. We are keen to hear from a wide range of people – everybody over 18 is welcome. All perspectives are valuable in helping us understand what works well locally, what the barriers are, and what could make it easier for people to be active in their neighbourhoods.

The focus groups will take place at the following times and locations:

Wonford Focus Group
📅 Tuesday 30 June
🕚 11:00am – 12.00pm
📍 Wonford Community & Learning Centre

St Thomas Focus Group
📅 Wednesday 1 July
🕚 6.00pm – 7.00pm
📍 Love Food CIC, St Thomas

All participants will receive a £25 Love2Shop thank-you voucher, and refreshments will be provided during the session. If you're interested, please email [email protected].

08/06/2026

We heard nothing back from the Tesco store manager. We are aware of ongoing difficulties accessing the store for people using mobility devices and have reluctantly raised a complaint with Customer Services. We will keep you updated.

The recently opened access from the "Ikea bridge pathway" into the back of big Tescos Exeter Vale is great... unless you are living with a disability and your mobility aid (mobility scooter, bicycle, tricycle, wheeled walker or wheelchair) means are unable to squeeze past parked cars. The trolleys blocking the pathway are also a hindrance. We've written to Tescos today inviting them to reconsider disabled access from this entrance. We'll keep you updated.

If you have issues like this affecting your sustainable travel choices and want help in resolving them or if you'd like to get more involved with pressing for change do get in touch on [email protected]
You can sign up for our emails here:
https://gmail.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=0e60a48ff1b25d5e8166a9cac&id=766a1aa097
Why not give our FB page a follow?
Or read more about us:
https://in-clusive.uk/

04/06/2026

We're very excited for Lexi. Amazing!

(We do wish that using an everyday wheelchair didn't feel like a marathon on Exeter's pavements though).

Lexi Chambers will attempt to climb the Alpe d'Huez in a standard non-racing manual wheelchair.

23/05/2026

What a great idea. Anyone interested in going?

I’ve been chatting with a local resident who uses a mobility scooter, and he’s interested in connecting with other mobility scooter and wheelchair users in the Whipton area.

The idea is to create a friendly, supportive group where people can meet up, enjoy a wheel-along together, stop for a tea or coffee, share experiences, and get to know one another.

There’s also interest in bringing people together to help raise awareness of the everyday challenges around accessibility -including pavements, crossings, and getting around safely and comfortably in the local area.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, or you know someone who might like to join in, please get in touch.

20/05/2026

Dare you to read this and not smile your socks off.
"I can’t ride every day, but I can ride a lot of days, and every time someone I know sees me out on my bike, they text to say, “I’ve never seen you smiling so big, I’ve never seen you so happy.”"

Seven months with an electric bike.

11/05/2026

We are very excited to see Phase 1 of the Newtown improvements. For disabled cyclists using a recumbent cycle like the one in our picture, the previous arrangement with cars crossing between parked cars with limited visibilty was unsafe and felt unsafe. We imagine it would have been so for children too. Hurray for these small changes.