Do Our Court Buildings Need More Lifts?

Whether you have mobility issues yourself or have a friend or relative who needs some additional assistance, you will no doubt have noticed that there are many places that simply aren’t as accessible as they should be.

Courthouses around the UK are among them, with research conducted by specialist legal firm Bolt Burdon Kemp revealing that just two per cent of the country’s courthouses are fully accessible.

The organisation assessed the accessibility of civil and criminal courthouses in England, Wales and Scotland, rating them on 11 criteria, including whether they provide a hearing loop, allow assistance dogs, have wheelchair access and provide disabled parking near the courthouse.

Among the findings are that just 16 per cent of courthouses are fully accessible to wheelchair users, with many failing to provide wheelchair lifts and some using security gates that are too narrow for a wheelchair to fit through.

Other criteria that were assessed included video conference facilities, baby changing facilities, accessible toilets and witness support.

The firm stressed that going to court is already a stressful experience, especially as a witness, and this is only made more challenging when there are access issues.

It isn’t only courthouses where people with restricted mobility, and especially those who use wheelchairs, face access issues. As Access & Mobility Professional reported earlier this year, only 27 per cent of the UK’s offices are wheelchair accessible.

The survey, carried out by workspace design specialist Penketh Group also found that 34 per cent of workers want to see improved wheelchair access at their workplaces.

If you’re interested in installing wheelchair platform lifts in your premises, contact us today to find out more about your options.