To want some seats/benches out there in the world?

We have a couple on our highstreet but they are funded by a local community group.

Where I live they removed all the seats from inside bus shelters because "people were sleeping on them", and replaced them with a very narrow perching bench that slopes to tip you to the ground if you have slippy clothes on.

I'm disabled and have been trying to get walking again, with two sticks. Had to stop because when my legs gave out there was nowhere to sit and rest. It took me 40 minutes to drag myself the 200m to my front door, in agonising pain after the fraying adductor tendons in my groin snapped. Turns out trying to "push through the pain" doesn't work if you have lupus tendonitis.

After that I was reluctant to leave the house, a foray to the corner shop had me fighting tears of pain and exhaustion in the check out queue. I thought I was going to faint and totally embarrass myself. No seating in the shop or along the short route home afterwards.

I had to save up and invest in a walk and rest shopping trolley (with armrests because lupus myositis means my legs are too weak to lift or lower me in and out of chairs). It cost just short of £190 but allows me to venture forth knowing that if I start to get dizzy or the pain becomes too bad I can lock the brakes and settle down for a rest.

The only problem is all the people who then approach me to ask where I bought it, and tell me all about their own disabilities and operations. I even had one bloke open his shirt to show me his heart operation scars when I parked up for a rest after checking out my shopping in Lidl. https://www.walkandrest.com/20-cream-frame

Sorry, it's not really relevant to your situation, because you already have the buggy and children to wrangle, so unless you are one of those Indian deities you wouldn't have spare arms to manage a shopping trolley as well. Just thought there might be some other disabled women who aren't quite wheelchair or mobility scooter ready, whose access to the great outdoors is being curtailed.

I took it with me to an agricultural show last year. With a picnic packed inside the seat. I would never have dared visit the show without the support of the trolley to lean on, and knowing I had a seat whenever it was required.

Unlike a mobility scooter I can bring it in to my very narrow front hall, and fold it up so it hardly takes up any space at all. I don't know what I'll do when the time comes that I need a proper mobility scooter. I live in a 140 year old, 2 up, 2 down stone terrace, with a front door that opens directly onto the pavement, and no storage space indoors.

Not an issue where I live, loads of memorial benches

I really noticed this when I was very pregnant and struggled to walk far for long.

It made me really re-evaluate what ‘accessibility’ means - particularly for the elderly.

I wouldn't think there would be many areas in housing estates where benches could be put. Without knowing your exact area, I can't really vote or give more of an opinion.

I can think of lots of them in my village. Is it a new build estate perhaps or somewhere they don’t want to encourage people to hang around?

I haven’t voted because in my part of the NE of England I can immediately bring to mind multiple benches and other seating just in my small village alone.

I’m going to say that I’m sure some community funds were used for most of the village ones (but over a long timeframe). Definitely raise it with your local councillors who will be able to see if funds could be allocated and good luck.

This is terrible. Thinking about my area there’s not much outside of the parks but at least the bus shelters have seats.

in order to be fair to your council, was there anywhere sensible they could put a bench? If the route was all housing probably not. But seats at bus stops should be standard, I’d be suggesting that.

You need to write to your local council about this.

YANBU. I think you would be well within your rights to contact your local council for more benches or rest areas. People need places to sit for all sorts of reasons.