Cutting concerns about venturing out with AccessAble
For people with mobility issues, going somewhere new can be stressful. Steps, stiff doors or narrow entrances can be a real barrier. But now, thanks to the launch of a new app and website called AccessAble, trips out can be planned with ease, knowing what lies in store when going to a different place for the first time.
Using feedback from actual users, AccessAble provides comprehensive guides to buildings and facilities, and actively encourages people of all abilities to go out and explore more. Using screen readers, easy to read typefaces, simple symbols and assistive technology, the app and website give detailed insights into issues such as door widths, steps, changing facilities, hoists and accessible fitting rooms, making days out much simpler and less stressful for all concerned.
The new app and website was introduced to members of the East Ayrshire Equalities Forum which met last week in East Ayrshire Council HQ.
Councillor Clare Maitland, Cabinet member for Equalities, Inclusion and Poverty said: “We’re delighted that so many places in East Ayrshire are listed in the AccessAbility app and website. From hospitals to ice cream parlours we’ve been working hard to encourage businesses and organisations to think about how people of all abilities can get safe, easy access, and these listings will make planning any trip very much simpler for people with mobility or sensory issues and their carers.
“It also helps focus all our minds on the barriers that many people face and how we can adapt our surroundings to free everyone from any restrictions on access. Research has revealed that 99% of disabled people want to know about accessibility before visiting somewhere new and 98% search for information in advance. It can be an anxious process. No one likes to be excluded, and a simple change and a bit of care is often enough to make everyone’s experience of a venue so much better. We’re really pleased that this new app and website will make those searches so much easier, boost confidence and spur on everyone who runs facilities and businesses, reminding them to put accessibility high on their agendas.”
For more information about AccessAble visit http://www.accessable.co.uk/ . The app can be downloaded from Apple Store or Google Play Store.
Notes to editors
To check out the new service simply visit the website www.AccessAble.co.uk or download the AccessAble App from the Apple Store or Google Play Store. If you have any feedback you can contact AccessAble at hello@AccessAble.co.uk, message them on social media or give AccessAble a call on 01438 842710.