A THREE-year plan to help disabled people use the beach goes before councillors tomorrow.

The proposals for Brighton and Hove beaches include new multi-terrain wheelchairs, better lighting and a dedicated swimming area.

A report into beach accessibility to the tourism, equalities, communities and culture committee comes 15 months after Beach Access Team Brighton and Hove campaigner Claire Nelson presented a 1,700-

signature petition to the city council for improved access to the beach for disabled adults and children as well as the elderly.

Miss Nelson is partially sighted and has no night or peripheral vision. She said people with vision problems need better lighting and improved signs as accessibility covers multiple disabilities.

The report says better signs and improved access to seafront traders as well as awareness training will be under way by April. A second all-terrain wheelchair is also expected to be in place after campaigners worked with the council in a beach accessibility working group.

A new changing facility will open in the summer as part of the Shelter Hall redevelopment.

During the next year a seasonal beach pathway is planned, along with replacement of existing beach wheelchairs.

Viewing platforms are proposed for an area of tarmac on the beach currently used as part of the Shelter Hall building site.

The report said an area of beach in front of the seafront office had been identified to test a temporary pathway.

A heavy but flexible rubber matting would be laid from the top of the beach to the high water mark to allow access across the shingle for wheelchairs, buggies and anyone with mobility difficulties. The matting would be left in place throughout the summer to establish whether it could be used elsewhere.

An accessible safe hub is proposed for the third phase from May 2021 to April 2022. This may include a designated accessible beach area and ringed-off swimming area.

Improvements to beach front lighting are also proposed.

Wheelchair trials were carried out over the August bank holiday weekend in Hove to see how manual and electric chairs coped with the challenge of shingle beaches.

Currently the council has one functioning all-terrain beach wheelchair available at the Brighton seafront office. After the bank holiday event a beach wheelchair was temporarily loaned to the council.

So far the council has allocated £10,000 towards new beach wheelchairs. An electric all-terrain model from the USA will be available for the summer season.

More funding opportunities for beach access improvements are being sought from local community and charitable grants.

The working group will work with officers in planning, seafront and transport to use Section 106 developer contributions and future Community Infrastructure Levy money for beach access improvement projects.