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Greens hail progress on access issues

30 November 2016

On Tuesday night, Norwich City Council voted to create an Access Charter to help make our city more accessible for people with disabilities. The motion was written after discussions with lots of people with disabilities who struggle to get around and feel excluded from the city centre.

The motion was designed to help improve the city centre including getting changes right first time and also to make sure the Council has to listen to the needs of the residents.

Councillor Ash Haynes, who proposed the motion, said:

“I’m really pleased the motion was adopted and I hope it will help stop the exclusion of people with disabilities from the city centre and help them feel listened to by the Council.

“It’s really important we include people with all types of disability in writing the Charter, including those with invisible disabilities that are more often overlooked. I’m looking forward to working with the Norwich Access Groups, people with disabilities and the Council to get the Charter written and working.”

Following discussions with disability groups, Green councillors did a guided blindfold walk through part of the city centre earlier this year to learn more about the difficulties faced by visually impaired people, particularly around the changes in the St Stephens Street area. At the suggestion of Green councillor Lesley Grahame, the city council’s Scrutiny committee also undertook a similar ‘access walk’ in July to increase awareness of access issues.

The motion passed by the council on Tuesday calls for the exercise to be repeated when further road changes are planned, so that problems for people with disabilities can be highlighted and minimised.

Access issues will also be debated at the Council’s Scrutiny Committee in March. Green councillors plan to ensure that residents with disabilities are fully represented and listened to at that meeting and that ideas from people with a variety of disabilities are taken on board.