ACCESS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Information that is currently being compiled by members of the South Ayrshire Access Panel will be used to produce an Access Guide to Ayr, which will be made available to residents and visitors.

The South Ayrshire Access Panel is made up of people who give up their own time to campaign for improvements for the disabled community in South Ayrshire. The Panel, whose parent body is Disability Scotland, has direct links with South Ayrshire Council through an Officer from the Buildings Standards Service, who is the Council’s Disablement Liaison Officer, and also through an Elected Member of the Council who attends panel meetings.

The Panel seeks to improve the quality of life of disabled people by attempting to create a barrier free environment that increases mobility for people with disabilities and allows them access to a wide range of buildings.

RFM Research company has been asked by the Panel to carry out an Access Guide Audit of a wide range of commercial premises in Ayr, to see how suitable they are for people with a range of disabilities to access. A researcher, who will carry an identification card and a letter of authorisation, will be visiting businesses in Ayr within the next few weeks to find out just how accessible they are to people with disabilities.

All the information that is gathered will be used to produce an Access Guide that will be published and made available to residents of Ayr and visitors to the town. The Panel intends to carry out Access Guide Audits on other towns in South Ayrshire in the future.

Further information on the South Ayrshire Access Panel can be found by logging on to www.south-ayrshire.gov.uk/community/access_panel. Alternatively anyone who has any questions about the audit or the guide can contact Margaret Shearer on telephone number 01292 476758 or 07968 461 156.

August 2005