HIGHWAYS chiefs have unveiled new plans to improve access for wheelchair users to Dorchester town centre from Bridport Road.

Dropped kerbs and special surfacing are in the pipeline for pavements along the road in the latest phase of improvements to make it easier for disabled people to get into town.

Dorset Association for the Disabled has successfully campaigned for improved access for people in wheelchairs in other areas, and the Bridport Road scheme will be the latest in their battle.

David Barrett, a Dorchester town and West Dorset District councillor, said the association drew up a wish list every year for work they would like to see done to improve disabled access in Dorchester and across the rest of Dorset.

"We have chosen Bridport Road for improvements next year, which is very important with a new doctors' surgery planned for the area.

"We are very pleased with the support we receive from Dorset County Council and work is being carried out across Dorset, not just in Dorchester," he said.

"The most important thing is that it is the disabled people telling us what they want rather than abled bodied people telling them what they think they want."

Carol Bancroft, a wheelchair user and long-time campaigner for improved access, said work carried out by the county council so far was very good.

"It's so much better than it used to be. There's a lady in town who has three rescued greyhounds and had to use the road for 18 years because of problems with kerbs. Now she can get up and down without having to go on the road which is excellent," she said.

John Munslow, a district highways engineer at Dorset County Council, said the association had done a lot of work, not just in Dorchester but across the county, in finding out what improvements disabled people wanted to see.

"The work carried out so far benefits all road users," said Mr Munslow.

He said that as well as the work on Bridport Road the next phase of improvements would include Cambridge Road.