Research reveals no improvement to physical access
1 October 2009
To mark the fifth anniversary of the changes to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), Capability recently commissioned two surveys to find out if these changes have made any difference to physical accessibility for disabled people in Scotland.
"Although access to the physical
environment is improving for disabled people, these results show
that there is still important work to be done."
Alan Dickson, Capability's
Chief Executive
Our research revealed that disabled people are currently three
times as likely as non-disabled people to report that there has
been no improvement in physical access. Responses from carers,
disabled and non-disabled people highlighted that uneven pavements,
a lack of drop kerbs and a failure to provide ramped access to
buildings are persistent problems.
The DDA was extended through Part three in October 2004, which
meant that service providers were required by law to make
reasonable adjustments to both the fabric of their buildings and
their policies and practices which otherwise might discriminate
against disabled people.
However, despite our survey respondents acknowledging some positive
improvements in shops, work places and other buildings, carers were
twice as likely as non-disabled people to state that the situation
had not got any better following the extension to the DDA.
Peter Stirling, one of Capability's Disability Equality Trainers
and also a member of the Access Audit volunteers said: "The changes
made to the DDA have certainly helped improve awareness of the need
for physical accessibility, but progress is still very slow in
actually achieving an improved physical environment.
"Organisations are trying to move in the right direction by making
what they think are reasonable changes to buildings, but by doing
so without consulting disabled people. People with different
impairments have individual needs, so where a wheelchair user would
need a ramp to get into a building, someone with a visual
impairment might prefer steps so they have somewhere clear to find
their footing. Therefore by replacing or removing steps altogether
in an attempt to help one group of disabled people, an organisation
may be actually making things harder for another".
The research also showed that whilst only a third of non-disabled
people recognised the use of disabled parking bays by non-disabled
people as a problem, half of disabled people and carers highlighted
this as a major issue. These figures are particularly significant
in light of the introduction of the Disabled Persons' Parking
Places (Scotland) Act on 1 October.
Alan Dickson, Capability's Chief Executive said: "Although access
to the physical environment is improving for disabled people, these
results show that there is still important work to be done.
Capability is in a unique position to highlight these issues
through our research into the views and opinions of both disabled
and non-disabled people. Gathering this knowledge is a vital part
of our work in supporting disabled people to achieve full equality
and have choice and control in their lives."
Capability contracted TNS BMRB to place four questions in their
Omnibus, Scottish Opinion Survey to find out if any tangible
improvements had been made to physical access. At the same time, we
also surveyed our 1 in 4 poll panel in order to identify specific
accessibility problems.
The combined responses exceeded 1400 adults across Scotland, 43% of
whom have experience of disability. The results of the 1 in 4 poll
confirmed the TNS findings and offered more detail on the precise
problems disabled people still face.
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