Lift on its way for disabled users of town post of

Victory as Post Office to get Lift

By Annette Belcher, Stafford Post

Disability campaigners who have been fighting for better access at Stafford’s town centre post office has secured a victory for the less abled in the community.

Lynton Tavern Disabled Toilets

The Lynton Tavern in Baswich now has disabled toilets in both the bar and the lounge after talking with the Access Group.

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Stationary Box Disabled Access

The Stationary Box in Stafford has addressed calls concerning the trouble that less able bodied people have encountered in accessing the store. The ramp to the shop has been found to be far too steep for wheelchairs, and so the side door on Martin Street is now available for use. Anyone wishing to use this entrance should ring the bell and a member of staff will come and open it.

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Morrisons Store Café in Stone

The Morrisons superstore in Stone has now added moveable tables and chairs to its café. This enables wheelchair users to make use of the café, as up until recently the tables and chair were fixed so a wheelchair could not be pulled up to a table.

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Monsoon Accessories Shop Refitting

Monsoon Accessories in Stafford has recently been refitted. Part of the changes include the installation of a disabled -friendly changing room which is now being enjoyed by customers.

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Marks & Spencers New Platform Lift

Marks & Spencers in Stafford now has a platform lift fitted allowing easy access between levels.

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Store's Doors Access Success

4/8/06 - Stafford Post

by Lynn Grainger

A Stafford group fighting for the rights of disabled people in the town is celebrating this week after a store "named and shamed" by the Post finally became wheelchair friendly.

Over the past 12 months, an ongoing Post investigation has revealed that many Stafford shops have not complied with the new laws under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) which state disabled people should have easy access to their buildings and services.

One store where complaints were made was the town's Argos branch. It's heavy doors meant wheelchair users were left waiting outside for staff to let them in.

But this week, the store has installed a completely new frontage with easy access for those with mobility problems.

Derek Boult, vice chairman of Stafford and District Access Group, was overjoyed at the news.

He told the Post: "This is a super result and we would like to thank the Stafford Post for all your hard work. You have really supported us and I'm sure it has made a difference."

He said: "The frontage now has electric, super-wide doors and staff are right by the entrance, so if anyone is having difficulties getting in, they will be seen."

Derek said the decision of Argos to undertake the work would hopefully set a standard other "named and shamed" stores in the town would follow.

He added: "I am meeting with the regional managers of several other Stafford stores later this week to show them the problems in person."

 
Argos' Entrance doors. After, with automatic sliding doors, and before with the old heavy manual doors.

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Store Action Joy for the Disabled

A Stone charity battling to improve access for disabled people in the town has scored a victory this week after a major retailer cleared up their shop floor.

Two weeks ago Stone Access Group told the Post of their frustration at the lack of action to improve disability access at the town's Morrisons store.

In June this year the group visited the Stone supermarket after 20 local shoppers contacted them. Disabled visitors to the store claimed its 'market street' layout stopped them reaching shelves and accessing isles and checkouts because of pallets and other obstacles on the shop floor.

Since October last year, under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), all shops, banks and other businesses have had a legal obligation to provide easy access to their services for all customers. The group, together with The Post, has been 'naming and shaming' those who have not made improvements. But this week the access group thanked The Post after a return visit to the store revealed action has been taken.

Derek Boult, chairman of Stone Access Group, told us: "I went to Morrions again this week and what an improvement it was. They've done what we wanted - we've finally got them thinking disabilities."

Mr Boult told us the aisles have been cleared making access around the store much easier. He said: "Staff there said they had a call from head office following the articles about them in The Post. It is a great improvement."

The group's Stafford branch also scored a victory earlier this year after retailer Willkinsons rolled out improvements the group had recommended to all its stores across the UK.

Mr Boult told us: "Morrisons is another success. They have taken on board that people with disabilities do have difficulties and all they want is their independence when they visit these stores."

Do you want Stone Access Group or Stafford and District Access Group to investigate any stores near you? Contact the Post on 01785 212370 or 01785 212364 or write to us at 35 Eastgate Street, Stafford, ST16 2LZ.

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Wolsely Centre Access Audit Correspondence

Dear Derek,

Thank you very much to you and SDAG for visiting The Wolseley Centre and carrying out a comprehensive Access Audit on 28th October 2004. It was very interesting to see a lot of issues from a different perspective, and it has certainly opened my eyes, and although the Trust has a lot of things right, there are areas that thanks to your audit we are now working on to improve access.

I enclose a donation to continue your invaluable work, and I look forward to working with you again soon.

With many thanks and best regards.

Yours Sincerely,

Marie Von Wurzbach

Wolseley Centre Co-ordinator.

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Wolsely Centre Access Audit Correspondence

Dear Marie,

Wolsely Centre

Thank you for your letter of the 13th December 2004 the contents of which we note with pleasure.

At our meeting on Monday 10th January 2005 the members of the Access Group were pleased that you found the access report most useful and that it will help you to continue your work in improving the access at the centre.

The members wish to thank you for the kind donation of £25, which will certainly help us continue our work in the future.

With grateful thanks and kind regards for the donation we look forward to working with you again soon.

Yours sincerely,

Derek Boult

Vice Chairman

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OPEN TO CHANGE-Improved Access for Disabled People

Thousands more businesses and services will be opened up to disbled people as a result of new regulations.

Minister for Disabled People, Maria Eagle, said that too many people had been unnecessarily excluded from too many services for too long.

This Government believes in an inclusive society where everyone has the right to participate fully, Maria Eagle said.

These regulations will ensure that disabled people have access to many services from which they have been unfairly excluded for far too long. Businesses have no need to be apprehensive about the changes. They will have to do only what is reasonable.

Service providers such as shops, restaurants, hairdressers, banks, local authorities and government departments will have to make reasonable adjustments to overcome physical barriers that continue to make access to their services impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people from October 2004.

Maria Eagle reassured business that making the change makes sense.

There are over 8.5 million disabled people in the UK, with an estimated collective spending power in excess of £45 billion a year.

It makes good economic sense, as well as being right to attract as many of these customers as possible by improving access to services, she said.

The new rights build on the duty service providers currently have to make reasonable adjustments to the way they provide services.

Participating

A revised Code of Practise to be published by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) said, "There are 8.5 million disable people in the UK who are often excluded from participating in society because of the lack of access. A visit to the doctor or dentist, the shops, pubs or leisure facilities can be fraught with difficulty and, for some, impossible.

These new rights will not only mean that disabled people can enjoy many of the freedoms and independence that non-disabled people take for granted, they will have a positive benefit for all - for older people, the parent with the pushchair to someone carrying heave shopping. The DRC is here to offer help and advice for businesses and service providers so that they are ready for 2004.

Speaking at the Employers' Forum on Disability Conference, Maria Eagle insisted that service providers must plan now to ensure that physical barriers for disabled people can be overcome from the 2004 deadline.

2004 may seem a long way off, but it isn't. The countdown has begun, Ms Eagle continued.

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New Bus Laws Help Disabled

Euro MP Simon Murphy has welcomed new laws to greatly improve bus access for disabled people. The new rules will also help the elderly or infirm, parents with buggies and people with heavy luggage. There will be less height between the first step and the kerb, and ramps, lifts or "kneeling" systems will be introduced.

There will be special areas on buses for wheelchairs, buttons to open doors, non-slip floors and white edges to steps to help visually impaired passengers.

"These new laws will turn doing something as every-day as getting on a bus from a giant leap for many people to a small step." said Mr. Murphy, who was one of a group of MEPs initially responsible for drafting the legislation in 1996.

"For anyone suffering disability or anyone in a wheelchair these design changes will make a difference to their quality of life."

All 15 EU member states will have three years to Implement the new legislation.

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