Access the whole appraoch!

When we talk about access we generally talk about specific things, transport, parking toilets, supermarkets.  As an access advisor, to me I often find that the biggest problems lay in between. That doesn’t mean that the main areas as mentioned above don’t need work on, but in looking at specific issues, we often miss the big picture.

Here are a few examples;

Toilet doors or entrance to toilets - so many disabled toilets are placed down corridors which are barely accessible, and don’t forget the door! Weight, how it opens, how to close it in a chair and even locking the door can all be problematic.

Parking often may have really nice wide bays, accessible but if there far from the main entrance what’s the point.

Transport links, the buses and trains may be accessible, but is the station or the stop you want?  Often see rural bus stops with lovely accessible bus stops. But the stop itself may be in the middle of know where without a path to it.  Have you tried being manhandled up a ramp on a train? Trust me it’s not the nicest thing.

Access should also mean inclusion. So to get in to a building i shouldn’t have to go through a subterranean labyrinth to get to the accessible lift, it should be the same door as others you. I should be able to make the same journey.

Believe it or not I’m actually sat in a hospital waiting room, lovely comfy chairs to sit in, yet I’m parked in the corridor in my wheelchair having to move to  everything someone comes through they have to shuffle past me. What if one or two spaces where left blank or have fold us seems like on a bus? I could park up in one of these spaces and be included.

Probably the one thing that’s my number one gripe at the moment is lack of accessibility information on internet sites. I mean restaurant, shops, buildings etc. There are a lot of people with disabilities who have tried to create sites with information. But I have a problem with this. As I feel it lets the business and government, communities large and small off from making their sites accessible or have accessibility information that can be easily seen. Which in essence is a legal requirement by virtue of the Equality Act. Better still why don’t these companies, businesses including government work with the people with disabilities by linking up either joining up the information or working with them to provide better information. With the amount disabled are said to have to spend it makes good economic sense.

A lot is talked about inclusion in our society break the word up it starts with “in”. So to work on inclusion you have to be able to be in the loop. If you can’t even get in or left as a second thought. You’re always going to be excluded. One of the basics of how to stop discrimination, starts with having an inclusive society.