WORK is set to begin on improving the experience of disabled visitors to Basildon town centre.

Councillors have agreed to start a pilot project on making the town centre 'purple friendly' and inclusive to all.

Basildon Council’s housing and communities committee agreed to fund the development and test phase of the Inclusive Basildon Borough Project to get an understanding of what realistic improvements and adjustments can be made.

Kerry Smith, the deputy leader of the council, said: "When two friends arrange to meet up for a coffee and one of them has a disability - it shouldn’t be a military operation to work out where in the town centre they can get to easily or park – it should be as simple as deciding which coffee shop and what day and time.

“I would like to think that we are one of the first council’s in the country to look at integrating inclusive design into everything we do and being purple friendly in our town centres all year round and I thank councillors on my Committee for supporting this cross-party.

“We are currently in the midst of a consultation on the Basildon Town Centre Masterplan so there isn’t a better time to start work on making sure its future is inclusive”.