St Albans wheelchair boy launches speed humps fight
Glen Shorey next to the speed bumps which caused his fall on the Verulamium Park Cycle Path leading to King Harry Lane - Credit: Archant
A GUTSY teenager is so determined to get speed humps removed from Verulamium Park that he has decided to launch his own campaign.
Since Friedreich’s Ataxia sufferer Glen Shorey fell backwards in his wheelchair on the cycle route near to King Harry Lane in St Albans, he has met with the district council to discuss how future accidents could be prevented.
But after claiming they “glossed over” the issue he feels it is necessary to take matters into his own hands and is hoping to get former wheelchair racer Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson on board.
Yet leader of the council, Julian Daly, who recently spoke with the 19 year old, has said he agreed the humps needed addressing and told him senior officers were looking into finding a solution.
Referring to the meeting Glen, of Corinium Gate, said: “They looked at everything from a bike point of view and they could not empathise with me. I don’t know if they thought it was my fault that I had the accident. They don’t see the humps as a problem.
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“It [the fall] has definitely shook me up. Every time I go out now I have panic attacks when I am near kerbs and fear I am going to fall or tip.”
He added: “I feel that I need to take matters into my own hands. Ideally I would like the humps to be removed because the whole project has been a failure from start to finish.”
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The teenager has been concerned about toppling over the humps since they were first installed by the council as a way of slowing down cyclists last July.
He explained that the recent incident had left his wheelchair so badly damaged it needs replacing and he has been forced to put his London Marathon training on hold.
Cllr Daly said: “Glen was kind enough to meet me on site with his sister and brother to show us what the problem was and I am quite satisfied there is a problem and the officers need to come up with a solution to it.
“I don’t know how I could be any clearer to him. His opinion is his opinion.”
