A REVEREND who uses a wheelchair is still isolated from his Hardgate shops – months after promises were made to install disabled wheelchair access.


In September last year, Rev Robert Sharp appealed to Tesco at Rockbank Place to lower kerbs for easier access from the car park and pathways.


West Dunbartonshire Council agreed to carry out the works and has since provided a quote, with Tesco agreeing at the time to foot the bill.


But since then, there has been no movement, and again the recently disabled reverend has issued a new appeal to the company not to ignore him and other wheelchair users.


Rev Sharp said: “I’m not able to get to my local shops at all independently – the kerb continues to block my access. I feel like I have been ignored. After all the promises, made by both Councillor Lawrence O’Neill and Tesco to take care of the problem, and all the favourable press coverage they each received at the time, there has been absolutely no progress with the work.”


The 54-year-old father-of-one is unable to scale the kerbs by the Tesco and other vital stores in Rockbank Place – and even struggles with help from carers.


Despite having two disabled parking bays, there is no lowered kerb to allow wheelchair users to mount the pavement.


Fighting a battle to regain his independence following a double stroke, Rev Sharp last year told the Post: “Sometimes I feel society wants disabled people to just sit inside on the couch and watch TV all day."


Councillor Lawrence O’Neill confirmed council officers had submitted a quote to Tesco for the works to be done.


Despite having the green light from the landlord, there has still been no movement from the supermarket to start the works.


At the time he exclaimed he would “take up the cudgel” for Rev Sharp.


Las Thursday, he said: “One of my colleagues at the council spoke to Tesco a fortnight ago on this matter – we’re now waiting for some movement on its side. Given the works have not been carried out, we will be chasing up Tesco. It’s important we get this resolved as soon as possible.”


Rev Sharp, who lost his wife Robertina in 2008 to cancer, says he is hoping a solution can be found to the lack of access.


He added: “I feel very let down and I have let some of my friends, who are also wheelchair users, down as I passed on the assurances I received that they would also benefit.


“I told my friends that the local authority does care as does big companies like Tesco, and now I have let them down.


“So it’s back to the ‘same old, same old’ for disabled people in Clydebank area. No wonder I get cynical and depressed, it’s really frustrating.”


The Post has contacted Tesco for a response however the company’s spokespeople failed to respond.