General principles and guidelines for including disabled people in regeneration projects

(Adapted from Rochdale MBC's 'Guidelines to achieving Equality of Participation in Rochdale')

CHECKLIST 1 - General access provisions not related to technology

Details to be included in the Access Guide which you provide when convening an event or describing your premises

1. Parking

Include details of: -

1. Distance from car park to entrance of venue;
2. Type of parking available, e.g. orange badge parking; street parking (double yellow lines, meters etc.); multi-storey, etc;
3. Surface of car park, e.g. tarmac, gravel;
4. Obstacles from parking to entrance, e.g. boulders, kerbs, etc;

2. Public Transport/Transport Provision

Provide details of: -

1. Buses stopping near venue;
2. Distance from bus stop to venue;
3. Obstacles on route to venue, e.g. boulders, kerbs, etc;
4. Distance from railway station to venue;
5. Provision of free transport;
6. Travelling allowances (if provided).

3. Entrance to Venue

Provide details of: -

1. Surface, e.g. gravel, tarmac etc;
2. Ramps, e.g. gradient, presence of handrails;
3. Stairs, including details of height of instep, number of steps, siting and length of handrails, e.g. do they extend beyond the steps.

4. Doors

Provide details of:-

1. Width of door(s);
2. Opening, e.g. inwards/outwards;
3. Tension of door(s)
4. Type of door(s), e.g. revolving/double/automatic
5. Type of door furniture, i.e. handles.

5. Inside Building

Provide details of:-

1. Location of event, e.g. ground floor, first floor;
2. Movement during the event, e.g. will participants be moved to other rooms for workshops.

6. Lift

Provide details of:-

1. Location of lift;
2. Width/depth;
3. Width of doors and opening time, e.g. delayed;
4. Position of external and internal controls, e.g. height

7. Toilets

Provide details of:-

1. Location of toilets;
2. Type of toilet, e.g. disabled persons toilets, unisex toilets.

NB. Where disabled persons toilets are not available, please provide widths of cubicles/doors etc., of available conveniences.

8. Dimensions of Premises

Provide details of:-

1. Distance from entrance to rooms;
2. Distance of lift from entrance and rooms;
3. Distance of toilets from entrance and rooms
4. Distance of crèche/refreshment provision from rooms

9. Floor Surfaces

Provide details of different surfaces, e.g. carpet tiles, polished etc.

10. Lighting

Provide details of lighting, e.g. fixed, variable etc., and availability of natural light.

11. Seating/Tables

Provide details of types of chairs, e.g. high, low, soft, hard, arms, without arms, fixed, benches, stools etc.

12. Heating

Provide details of type of heating and presence of air-conditioning etc.

13. Participation

Provide details of:-

1. Availability of interpreters, e.g. BSL, Urdu etc;
2. Provision of material in Braille/on tape/in large print and in languages other than English;
3. Medium of training/event, e.g. videos/talk/flip-chart etc;
4. Provision of loop;
5. Availability of assistants/supporters

14. Crèche/Childcare Provision

Provide details of: -

1. Availability of crèche;
2. Access to crèche;
3. Contact name and numbers;
4. Payment for childcare costs (if applicable).

15. Food/Refreshments

Provide details of :-

1. Type of refreshments/food available, e.g. vegan, vegetarian, halaal, alcohol, non-alcoholic;
2. Service available, e.g. buffet or sit down meal.

General Notes

1. Ensure that the person filling out the Access Guidelines visits the building. Do not go by recommendations made over the telephone.
2. It is important to give participants accurate details of the venue to be used.
3. Participants need to know what facilities are not available. For example; if the doors are not wide enough to allow access for someone in a wheelchair, you much include this in the details.
4. All widths are to be in millimetres and metres.
5. Include a contact person on the Access Guidelines, so participants can contact you with the specific needs.

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Access Guide (Complete Proformas to be Provided to Participants)

Name of Event :
Time and Date :
Venue :

Parking
Public Transport/Transport Provision
Entrance
Doors
Inside Building
Lift
Toilets
Dimensions of Premises
Floor Surfaces
Lighting
Seating
Heating
Participation
Crèche/Childcare Provision
Food
General Notes

Please send a copy of your completed form to :

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Example Of A Completed Access Guide

Name of Event: Disabled Person's Transport Day
Time and Date: 10.00a.m. – 5.00p.m. Thursday 13th June
Venue: Committee Room II,Town Hall, Rochdale

Parking: Adjacent to Tourist Information Centre. Pay & Display. Free parking for orange badge holders – 5 spaces. Distance approximately 300m to entrance. 2 disabled persons parking spaces at front of Town Hall. Left: 20m to entrance, right: 22m to entrance.
Public Transport/Transport Provision: Bus Station – approximately ¼ mile (Town Centre) Railway Station – approximately 1 mile (Maclure Road) Rochdale Transport to be booked through Equal Opportunities Unit
Entrance: Ramped/covered entrance. Ramp 1:20 Gradient. Tarmac and flagstones.
Doors: Front double doors – heavy. Right leaf always open – 840mm open inwards. Internal automatic doors 100mm. Set double doors to room, open outwards.
Inside Building: Ground floor. All event in Committee Room II – other than lunch. Lunch in canteen (passing through 1 set of double doors, 1030mm, 1 automatic door, 800mm).
Lift: Controls – external on right side ) Accessible from wheelchair. Internal on left side ) Accessible from wheelchair No turning room in lift. Doors – 1000mm.
Toilets: Ground floor, 1 disabled persons toilet, Width of door 1000mm, Dimensions of room 1500mm x 2000mm. Distance from room 25m.
Dimensions of Premises: From entrance to room 15m. From entrance to lift 22m. From entrance to disabled persons toilet 18m. From entrance to canteen 20m.
Floor Surfaces: Tiles floor with carpeted central aisle. Carpet in Committee Room. Flagstones in corridor.
Lighting: Mixed fluorescent, standard down lighting and natural lighting. Inaccessible light switches in Committee Room.
Seating: Removable chairs, conference tables 670mm clearance underneath.
Heating: Standard central heating, i.e. radiators
Participation: Some flipchart work (all of which will be read out). Loop induction system available. Interpreter available on request. Papers can be taped/Braille, enlarged on request. Assistance available.
Crèche/Childcare Provision: Childcare/sitter expenses available.
Food: Booked in the canteen at 12.30p.m. Sit down meal – removable seats, clearance under table 680 mm Vegetarian/meat/halaal food available.
General Notes: Please check to see if the facilities suit your needs.

For further information regarding this meeting, please contact :

The Assistant Equal Opportunities (Disabled Persons Officer)
Telephone 01706 47474, ext. 4722
Minicom 01706 414959

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Checklists

1. General access provisions not related to technology
2. Access to Participation in events and meetings
3. Facility Preparation – Technology Specific Issues
4. Low cost / Time measures
5. Moderate Cost / Time Measures
6. Annual Budget Measures

See also:
Guide to Good Web Site Design

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