Wheelchair users represented by politicians in public challenge

But to get up to Starbucks and back again with a party of wheelchair users took almost 90 minutes.

Granted we were doing this with some popular and recognisable local figures who cannot just nip out onto the high street without being stopped, but the main thing slowing down progress was the difficulty of getting around in a wheelchair.

MP for Hertsmere Oliver Dowden and leader of the Hertsmere Labour Group Michelle Vince took up the challenge of trying to navigate the high street on wheels in the drizzle on Friday afternoon,

Several weeks ago Lara Croft threw down the gauntlet on Facebook after being frustrated by navigating the lumps and bumps in the pavement in her chair.

The video shows a short segment of the challenge, which started at MacDonald’s in Shenley Road, Borehamwood, and reached Starbucks.

The challengers were joined by EBRA representative and independent candidate for the Borehamwood Kenilworth by-election Lawrence Stack and Adam Margolis, who has reduced mobility as well as friends and family.

Early on arms started to ache as pushing yourself around takes strength, especially when it’s up clunky kerbs just to get out of the road.

By the end of the challenge Michelle’s hands were blistered and bleeding from the effort. Although gloves are available, Lara pointed out the ones she has are too big and also cause blistering, so she just pulls her sleeves over her palms.

It’s only when put in that position that you notice every bump in the road or pavement as it is so much more prominent when you are in a wheelchair, and previously minor things become bigger obstacles.

And that’s not the only thing, wheelchair users notice shop fronts that are inaccessible and see every potential problem, but are not always seen by other people.

“People aren’t looking at me,” said Michelle. “There have been people that I know that have walked past me without seeing me because I am in this chair.

“And people who do look at me, see me with some sympathy, but don’t move out of my way. I was forced onto the road, which was a smoother surface, but there was no way of getting back up.”

Oliver Dowden MP said: "It is hard work, it's exhausting actuallly pushing on the wheelchair, but you notice a number of things.

"Not being seen you inevitably feel less noticed and less significant, which adds to the frustration of it.

"But the main thing is that MPs raising awareness about shops doing what they are legally obliged to by making stores accessible."

The original course set out was not even completed, as it had taken so long that parking tickets may have been issued if we did not stop the challenge early.

And wheelchair users attest that Borehamwood, although problematic, is not the worst place, even in Hertsmere.

Even though we were out for a few hours, Lara said it would take days to recover from this, as her Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome would have had an impact on the connective tissue in her spine,

Wheelchair users are given this equipment because already they are already suffering too much to get around without one, it’s not by choice.

Buggies help with mobility, but can’t fit in many shop doors, so are not always the answer.

What disability campaigners are asking for isn’t to be treated any differently, they are just asking for an even playing field, or pavement.