We are happy to promote:
Local access information
across the country
Questions you may have
Why are there two kinds of results?DisabledGo produces two kinds of access guides.
We produce –
Key Access ReviewsThese give a venue’s address and contact details together with symbols which are awarded based on the surveyor's visit and assessment.
Key Access Reviews are used to cover venues which you spend short periods of time in, for example banks or small high street shops.
and:
Detailed Access GuideA Detailed Access Guide provides all the information of a Key Access Review together with a lot of detailed information, split down by section. A Detailed Access Guide can provide up to 800 separate pieces of information.
Throughout a Detailed Access Guide you will find pictures of the features being described. The guides describe the customer’s journey into and throughout that particular venues, a surveyor collects every piece of information in person.
What do your measurements and terms mean?
Steps
A shallow step is up to and including 10cm
A medium step is over 10cm and up to and including 17cm
A deep step is over 17cm.
Ramps
Ramps are referred to as:
EasyAn easy ramp or slope will have a gradient not steeper than 1:12
ModerateA moderate ramp or slope will have a gradient between 1:10 – 1:12
SteepA steep ramp or slope will have a gradient in excess of 1:10
The surveyors make an informed judgement based on training. They are not measured using a gradient measurer. The information given in the guide is always accompanied by a photograph.
Doors
Doors are described as heavy or light. The surveyors make an informed decision based on training. Door weights are not measured with a Newtonometer.
Lifts
Platform lifts are those which a wheelchair user wheels on to, in order to overcome raised areas, steps or level changes.
Standard lifts are those which are used by both disabled and non disabled people. If door widths are less than 75cm then this will be noted in the guide.Chair lifts are those which a person has to sit in (not in a wheelchair) in order to overcome steps. Chair lifts do not qualify as an acceptable means of overcoming steps and wheelchair user and wheelchair user with assistance symbols will not be awarded if this is the only way available to access a venue or service for a wheelchair user.
Desks/counter
Receptions and counters are referred to as being high, medium and low.
A low desk is up to 76cm in height.
A medium desk is is over 76cm and up to and including 110cm.
A high desk is over 110cm.
Colour contrast
Consideration is given to the provision of good colour contrast. Surveyors are trained to look at for example, fittings which contrast with the surround and walls which contrast with the floor.
Poor Colour Contrast
Good Colour ContrastWhat does 'View Access Guide' take me to?
Where you see 'View Access Guide' it means a Detailed Access Guide has been produced or that more details about a Key Access Review is available. This happens where there are adapted toilets in a venue covered as a Key Access Review.
Why is there nothing covered in my area?
Our aim is to provide our service across the UK, Ireland and beyond. However, to do this we need to source funding from the relevant local public body. If your area isn't covered and you would like it to be please see our request page.
What do the symbols mean?
DisabledGo uses 20 symbols in total you can find out more about what they mean here, and you can find out more about how we work and apply our symbols at How We Do It.
How do you collect this information?DisabledGo has spent over 9 years consulting with disabled people to ensure we collect the most relevant information in the best way to find out more please take a look at How We Do It.
Why do you cover venues that aren't accessible to me?
DisabledGo does not aim to tell anyone what is right or wrong for them, we aim to give detailed information about what you will find at a particular building or attraction. We provide information that relates to a wide range of impairments and we recognise that what is accessible to one person is not necessarily accessible to another person. As a result we provide information and people then decide what is accessible to them.
What's the different between your access guides and access audits
Although DisabledGo's Detailed Access Guides convey a lot of information, they are not Access Audits. The purpose of an Access Audit is to carry out a physical assessment of a building and make recommendations. DisabledGo does not make recommendations. DisabledGo surveyors record a wide range of detailed access information - "we say it as we see it" - so that disabled people are in control by having independent, reliable information from which they can decide whether they wish to go to that venue
BS8300:2001/9, (a technical document relating to building accessibly buildings) does not form the basis by which DisabledGo symbols are allocated or form the basis for surveyor assessment criteria. This is not to say that BS8300:2001/9 are not referred to or studied. What does form the basis of the criteria is the years of feedback received from disabled people regarding what information they need to know.
How often is this information reviewed?
Every venue on the website is contacted each year to find out if their access has changed. A venue owner or customer can contact us at any time to inform us of changes to venues. Venues which have had structural changes are revisited by DisabledGo surveyors annually, a note of any changes will be made as soon as we are informed, but full details will not be taken until we can collect them in person.
If you have further questions you may like to look at How We Do It or please feel free to contact us directly.
