Projects

Welsh National Nature Reserves Accessibility Statements

Client: Countryside Council for Wales

Summary:

CCW were looking for advice on how to present accessibility information to the public. We devised a system to present the most important information in a concise and consistent way, as well as to make the more detailed information available both in-print and on-line.

The problem:

CCW are keen to make their NNRs as accessible as possible to the public, and to comply with the requirements of the DDA. All visitors, in particular those with disabilities, need to be able to find out about places before they visit. CCW already hold valuable audit data for each site. They wanted to make the audit information available to help the public, but needed help with finding the best way to do it.

Our input:

We used our knowledge and experience of the needs of the disabled to develop 2 templates - the first one to summarise the basic essential accessibility information for each site, the second to present the more detailed information in a consistent structured way.

We used the audit data, and the local knowldege of the site managers, to complete full and summary accessibility statements for all 67 NNRs in Wales.

We researched into current good practice in providing accessibility information on-line and in print and used this to make recommendations on how CCW could present information.

We developed a searchable database structure to be used on-line, or in TICs and offices, to rapidly offer potential visitors lists of sites they can visit, whatever their requirements.

The result:

Anyone wanting to visit one of the spectacular national nature reserves in Wales can now find out where they can go, and what it'll be like when they get there.

Whatever their level of ability, or disablity, or needs for facilities or transport, they'll be able to find places of interest which they can vist.