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By October 1 next year every business, large or small - from the local shop to restaurants, health clubs, dentists and supermarkets - will need to become more user-friendly to Britain's 8.6 million disabled people, the organisation said.
[ananova.com...]
This WILL transfer onto the web at some point and we will need to at least make an effort.
To be honest this legislation will be hard to comply with for some people. For example an am not sure how the town planners in York would take to a big fat ramp in the middle of the Shambles for example.
DDC Explained
[news.bbc.co.uk...]
Nice Twist on a lighter note
ht*tp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/derbyshire/3163423.stm
I know in Edinburgh at least, the majority of shops in the City Centre are listed buildings and cannot provide lifts instead of stairs, etc.
Scott
In the past the laws for things like this (steps, ramps, lifts etc..) were always there but they could only came into effect on a change of ownership,
e.g. Public Houses that didn't have ladies loos weren't closed down or forced to change but as soon as new owners moved in to take over thay had to comply with current legislation.. the changes were forced upon the new businnes.. same as kitchen/hygiene laws (which are a nightmare btw..)
as for lifts in listed buildings I think there has to be a certain amount of compromise made.. again I have experience in having to make a disabled access to a lower floor in a building and yes it was a listed building.. lift was out of the question so we had to put in a staircase that had certain specifications, step width, depth etc.. don't know the legalese but I know it cost a b****y fortune ;), this was so a person could be assisted downstairs i.e. they were safe for 2-3 people to get down them..
So I presume that things like this are already taken care of and that this new law is going to be a way to force existing business owners to comply as opposed to only being able to enforce it on new owners as at the minute...
Suzy
planners in York would take to a big fat ramp in the middle of the Shambles- lol! I dont think a ramp would help, on account that the road down the shambles are made of cobbles. I tried to push my grans wheelchair down there once, wobbly!
I agree with the idea that places should be made more accesible, but it is going to be impossible to implement in some historic cities, listed buildings, very narrow streets, poor surfaces etc.
On the web side of things, it will be much easier to make our sites more accesible for those with disabilties, i think the hard part is going to be educating webmasters about what is accesible and what is not. I welcome the day that it does spill onto the web, i think it will be better for all.
