Age UK Bolton Lead Council in Age Friendly Consultation on Town Centre

Longstanding local charity Age UK Bolton has been working for, and on behalf of, older people in Bolton since 1947 and has always been a champion for improving the lives of local over 50s. Now Bolton Council are looking to the Charity to lead the way in getting opinions on the future of the town centre with the view of ensuring that the iconic location is as welcoming and accessible to local older people as it is to the glitz and glamour of the numerous nation and international filming projects that have been causing excitement in the town of late.

The consultation will gather opinions on topics and issues such as practical concerns such as accessible parking, drop kerbs and accessibility.

The consultation is being led by Ageing Well Manager Lesley Simm who said “There has been a growing feeling that the town centre has become less of a welcoming place to older people. This consultation will allow us to discover what local older people want to see and enable Bolton Council to make informed decisions based on their needs.”

In its initial stages, the consultation has raised issues such as the loss of the free town centre shuttle bus, which has made it more difficult for people with mobility issues to effectively navigate their town centre and an over-reliance on online-based payment methods for parking payments excluding older generations who are less confident or able to use online systems.

To take part in Age UK Bolton’s Age Friendly Town Centre Consultation get in touch with Age UK Bolton on 01204 382411 or access the online survey at: http://tinyurl.com/AUKB-BTCC