I’ve just read an article on the BBC News website about the improved access at Cardiff Castle.
With the help of local disability groups the management of the Castle have made huge changes making many areas of the Castle accessible to disabled people for the first time. This includes better access to the main entrance, interpretive centre, the ramparts and enhance signage and audio facilities.
The Cardiff and Vale Coalition of Disabled People has extended its help to at least three other developments in the Cardiff area including a new shopping centre and the central library.
This has got to be good news. Instead of these organisations simply doing what they think is right or mis-reading such exciting literary works as BS8300:2009 and Part M of the Building Regulations, they have spoken to people who actually know what is required.
Nice one Cardiff… Let’s hope other towns and cities follow this somewhat enlightened approach.
A major shift has happened in how disabled travellers will be able to book hotel rooms in the future.
If you’ve ever tried booking an adapted room online you’ll know that it’s nigh on impossible.
You know that these big hotels must have the adapted rooms but they don’t mention them on their websites or, if they do, it just says something like “wheelchair friendly” or “disabled access”. Not much use when you want to know if there’s a level access shower and whether the door to the bathroom is wide enough to get your wheelchair through!
Two American ladies, both of whom are wheelchair users, felt that enough was enough. They filed lawsuits against Hotels.com and Expedia – and won.
Now these two giants are due to make adapted rooms available online and to give much more information about accessible facilities than ever before.
This is a huge step forward over what is the norm now – you can request an adapted room but the hotels won’t guarantee it. Not much use when you’ve travelled half way round the world (or even just a few miles) and find, on arrival, that your adapted room isn’t available or that it just isn’t suited to your particular requirements.
But if you can’t wait for the big boys and all the other chains to play catchup – talk to our resident disability travel expert, Richard Thompson on 0845 058 8059 or read more about his services here on the Good Access Guide website.
And don’t forget you can keep up to date with what’s happening here at Good Access Guide by following us on Twitter
At long, long last we have actually added a blog to Good Access Guide!
Yes, we are way behind the times. Everyone else has done their blog, gone off Twittering and any one of a hundred other new technologies.
But we like to think that quality is worth waiting for…
So, with that in mind, you should be reading some little gems on here from all of the team. Not just work stuff but bits and pieces too – things that are on our minds, what we’ve been up to – that sort of thing.
And feel free to comment on our posts – good or bad…
Now what can I write about next?
