'I didn't feel safe' – Waterford wheelchair user and residents hail new footpath

A new footpath in Waterford has transformed safety and accessibility for residents, with one wheelchair user saying it has completely changed how she gets around.

For years, Tramore woman Helen Cullen described how difficult it was to leave her home on the Waterford Road.

"I didn't feel safe coming onto a main road and having to look through the windows of parked cars just to see if I could access the route to the beach or town," she explained.

Now, thanks to a newly built footpath delivered under Waterford City and County Council's Active Travel Programme, Helen says her daily routine is safer and easier.

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"Before the works, I had to use my back entrance, but now I can safely use a new ramp and wheel straight onto a lovely new footpath and go about my day," she said. "The new path has made the area much safer. The place looks fresher and better. It's great."

The scheme has not only improved accessibility for Helen, but also created safer walking links for residents heading to Tramore AFC, Tramore GAA Club, the Ring Road and the town centre.

Tramore AFC treasurer Stuart Kennedy also welcomed the changes, saying parents can now be confident their children are walking to training and matches without having to navigate a busy road.

"Our members, especially the younger ones, now have a safe route to walk to training and matches. Parents can feel confident knowing their children are walking safely on the new path, without having to navigate a busy road.”

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Mayor of Waterford City and County Council, Cllr. Séamus Ryan, said projects like this are already making a real difference.

"We all know how important it is to feel safe walking in our own communities. Whether it's a child walking to football training, someone from the area heading into town, or a wheelchair user like Helen coming out her front door, this new footpath is already making a real difference.

"It's part of our ongoing work to make Tramore and Waterford safer, more connected, and easier to get around on foot or by bike."