Highways Agency
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Better access for all on England's motorways and trunk roads

Better access for all on England's motorways and trunk roads

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 28 September 2009

- Highways Agency publishes programme of works to improve accessibility on its network -

As part of our commitment to safe and reliable services for all road users, and to taking account of the needs of disabled customers, a new publication which sets out what the Agency is doing to improve our infrastructure for disabled road users is now available at http://www.highways.gov.uk/disability.

Following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) in 1995, the Agency has been reviewing and updating its design standards, introducing more inclusive design principles into our road improvement schemes. This includes features such as tactile paving, dropped kerbs, and raised footways at bus stops to facilitate access to buses.

The Agency has worked closely with a number of organisations representing the needs of disabled people – including Assist UK, Motability, Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC), and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) – to help with the production of a public document entitled ‘Disability: Accessibility of the Strategic Road Network’. It is aimed at the helping the Agency to prioritise the programme of work to cater for road users with disabilities who use England’s strategic road network of motorways and trunk roads.

Ginny Clarke, Director of Network Services for the Highways Agency, said:

“Our new schemes already provide for the needs of disabled people, but we are now embarking on a programme to improve our existing infrastructure. The consultation which we have undertaken with specialist disability organisations will help us to determine where changes could be made that would give improved accessibility, and how best to implement them.

“We are also continuing to raise awareness of disability issues within the Agency and our supply chain, to ensure that there is an integrated approach to network improvement.”

Notes to Editors

Notes to Editors

Issued by the Highways Agency National Press Office. For further information please contact Alex Barnett on 020 7153 4847. Media enquiries out of hours should be made to the Highways Agency National Press Office (24hrs) on 0207 081 7443.

1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England’s motorways and trunk roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.

2. We have made considerable progress towards other targets set out in our Disability Equality Plan. Our achievements include:
- Consultation with groups of people with disabilities leading to a better understanding of the needs of disabled road users. This resulted in new working methods. Training has also been given to Traffic Officers to ensure that when a disabled customer’s car breaks down on the network, the Traffic Officer is able to offer a service which takes account of the customer’s particular needs..
- We have reviewed, and made adjustments to, our website, www.highways.gov.uk; For example, users can now specify font sizes, styles, and background colours, and ‘access keys’ have been introduced for people who experience difficulty using a computer mouse.
- A recent publication from the Highways Agency, “My Way” magazine, is available in hard copy or via our website and was informed by intensive consultation with disabled people. This was developed specifically with the aim of helping road users with a disability to be better prepared in the event of a breakdown and to know where to turn for assistance and information.

3. The groups and organisations contacted as part of this programme were:-

-Access Association
-Advocacy Matters
-Age Concern
-Assist UK
-British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD)
-Choices and Rights
-Disability Coalition
-Disability Alliance
-Disability Awareness in Action
-Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)
-Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC)
-Equality South West
-Guide Dogs for the Blind
-Mencap
-Mobilise
-Motability
-Muscular Dystrophy
-Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR)
-Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
-JMU Access Partnership
-Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
-SCOPE
-SENSE
-South East Disability Council
-The Disability Partnership
-United Kingdom’s Disabled People’s Council
-Wheelchair Users’ Group

The new publication, ‘Disability: Accessibility of the Strategic Road Network’ is now available on the Highways Agency website at www.highways.gov.uk/disability. Also,,“My Way” magazine and associated material, including a film signed in British Sign Language and an emergency advice card to keep in the vehicle, are available on the same web page.

4. For more general information about the Highways Agency and its work, visit the Highways Agency website www.highways.gov.uk, or telephone the Highways Agency Information Line on 08457 50 40 30 at any time (Calls to 0845 numbers will cost no more than 4p per minute from BT residential landlines. Call charges from other landlines and mobile networks may vary).

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Issued by the Highways Agency National Press Office. For further information please contact Alex Barnett on 020 7153 4847. Media enquiries out of hours should be made to the Highways Agency National Press Office (24hrs) on 0207 081 7443.

Contacts:

Alexander Barnett
Phone: 020 7153 4847
alexander.barnett@highways.gsi.gov.uk

Highways Out of Hours
Phone: 020 7081 7443
nds.highwaysagency@coi.gsi.gov.uk

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