Empowering Individuals: Enhancing Accessibility in Daily Life

Accessibility should be a given. However, many individuals still face daunting challenges daily. Being in public spaces, using transport systems, or simply enjoying a meal out can become significant hurdles for those with mobility limitations. A recent report from Grosvenor Mobility sheds light on these issues and emphasises the urgent need for change.

Earlier this year, Grosvenor Mobility undertook a comprehensive examination of accessibility across UK cities. The results revealed glaring disparities. Leighton Roberts, Managing Director at Grosvenor Mobility, underscores the critical nature of accessibility. With nearly a quarter of the UK population facing mobility challenges, the current accessibility standards are far from adequate. Roberts stresses that there are simple solutions that can significantly improve accessibility across various sectors.

His key recommendations include the following:

Ensuring vehicles are equipped with ramps, low-floor designs, elevators, and priority seating.
Creating sheltered and comfortable waiting areas.
Providing easily accessible bus and train stops.
Offering appropriate training to staff to assist disabled passengers seamlessly.

Know more in this exclusive interview.

TWB: Grosvenor Mobility’s recent report shed light on various accessibility challenges encountered by disabled individuals in their daily lives. Can you share some of the key findings from the report in this regard?

LR: In our research, we looked into the state of accessibility in the UK. We analysed public data to get a picture of how many public facilities are accessible to all, and the data revealed some less-than-flattering results for the UK.

From UK cities, Bangor (Wales), Chichester and Ely come in as the top three most accessible cities. On the other side, Kingston-upon-Hull, Birmingham and Bradford were the least accessible cities.

We ranked these cities across the number of accessible hotels, restaurants, public restrooms, public parking and attractions there are. Sadly, even for the most accessible cities, the percentage of accessible venues compared to non-accessible venues is staggering. For example, number one spot Bangor only has 6 accessible car parks and 41 accessible restaurants. That translates to 0.5% of restaurants being accessible out of all them in Bangor, and 0.04% of parking spots being accessible too.

Looking at London as another example (5th least accessible city), this location has 5000 accessible restaurants. However, this figure is eclipsed when you consider the 9 million people who live there and the 15,000 restaurants that are not accessible.

Sadly, we discovered that public spaces only need to make the changes needed to be accessible if the adjustments are ‘reasonable’. This depends on budget, the size of the organisation and how practical it is, meaning many businesses can get away with not being fully accessible.

We also looked into the state of public transport too, looking at a Parliament survey. Disabled respondents in the Parliament survey revealed:

36% of respondents said they ‘always’ experience challenges making it difficult to travel.
34% of respondents said they avoid making journeys at least once a week due to the challenges they face.
Only 2% of respondents said they had never faced a challenge when travelling.

Another report by the Motability Foundation found that 40% of disabled travellers experience difficulty with train travel, and 10% of disabled travellers state travel as a key barrier to their educational development.

TWB: How do these accessibility challenges impact the daily lives of individuals with mobility limitations?

LR: This is a huge issue as 24% of the UK population has a disability. Not having access to common facilities such as restaurants, restrooms or even public transport makes everyday life difficult.

Essentially, disabled people are forced to consider where they want to go beforehand, so they can be confident that where they go is accessible to them. When looking at the findings of our study, it’s clear that a massive portion of public venues are not accessible to all, which sadly limits where disabled people can go.

Due to the lack of accessibility all round, people with mobility issues are challenged every day. People without mobility issues don’t have to worry about the limits of accessing public venues/facilities, whereas those with the issues are forced to take extra care where they go, otherwise they may face an inaccessible hurdle.

TWB: Can you provide examples of specific barriers encountered by disabled travellers in using public transportation, as highlighted in the report?

LR: Disabled people report twice to three-times more difficulties when using public transport than those without a disability. This reduces their independence and confidence when it comes to using these facilities.

One main issue, as reported by 40% of disabled travellers, is the challenge of obtaining travel information. As mentioned in the last question, disabled people are forced to research where they go beforehand, but sometimes the information can be difficult to find or simply unavailable. Not knowing whether somewhere is accessible or not beforehand is a great challenge that can often put someone off going in the first place.

Another aspect that some find challenging is accessing help when trying to use public transport. Whether it be bus, train or air travel, having enough trained staff on hand to help a disabled traveller is vital. These staff members are not always available or trained to help. In situations like this, disabled people are left without aid, making using public transport difficult when alone if they need assistance.

An obvious barrier for wheelchair users is the lack of ramps when boarding public transport. In some cases, access ramps are unavailable, making boarding the train or bus extremely difficult without assistance. In these cases, wheelchair users are left having to find another mode of transport, or giving up on the journey altogether.

Marked visual or audio cues are necessary for those with visual impairments too, a disability that can be not noticeable physically. Brightly painted staircases for example, or loud enough announcements are necessary for those with poor eyesight to navigate the world. Not featuring this on public transport can impact those with visual impairments negatively. An example of this is a train not adequately announcing which stop is about to be reached.

TWB: How does Grosvenor Mobility contribute to addressing accessibility barriers in daily life through its range of products and services?

LR: Grosvenor Mobility is dedicated to improving the comfort and independence of our customers.

Our adjustable beds and riser recliner chairs provide those with low mobility a great option for improving their comfort at home. Through our products, those with low mobility can get in and out of their chair or bed independently via the rise and lower features. They can also adjust the furniture through multiple reclining options to find the most comfortable spot that suits them best.

Regular furniture does not support those with low mobility in this way. Grosvenor’s contribution to addressing accessibility barriers is their furniture. By making the home a comfortable, safe place, Grosvenor hopes to improve the lives of our customers.

Grosvenor also offers free home trials, allowing interested parties to test out the products in their homes to see if they like the benefits they provide!

TWB: What are some of the unique features of Grosvenor Mobility’s furniture solutions that make them particularly beneficial for individuals with mobility challenges?

LR: Grosvenor Mobility’s furniture provides superior comfort at home, as well as added independence. But, they also provide some health benefits for the users which helps to improve their happiness and overall health.

By reclining one’s feet and legs, the chairs and beds can promote better circulation which helps to prevent further health problems. This will also help to relieve swelling in the legs too, something which low mobility sufferers may deal with.

Through the supportive design of the beds and chairs, back pain will be relieved due to the reduced pressure placed on the spine.

For those with arthritis, their pain will also be relieved through these products. The aid of getting in and out of the furniture will be a huge help for those with stiff joints caused by arthritis.

These elements combine to provide several benefits for those with low mobility. Besides all of the health benefits, the improved comfort and independence should help those with low mobility find peace at home.

TWB: How do customisable furniture offerings from Grosvenor Mobility enhance comfort and independence for individuals with mobility limitations?

LR: Both our beds and chairs come with customisable options across sizes, fabrics, and accessories. Our products are made-to-measure, so they are always the right fit for the customer. Boasting over 250 varieties of materials and colours available, including the option to have different materials for different parts of the chair, each customer can design the perfect chair for them.

With free home trials available, our experts can provide a truly bespoke design for each customer, ensuring the height, width, and support are suited to each person’s needs. Every individual measurement is bespoke to each Grosvenor Mobility customer.

A good example of our offerings is our mattress options for adjustable beds. We can provide advice on what mattress will suit a customer’s needs best, recommending a Luxury Memory Reflex, a Luxury Reflex or a Luxury Pocket Spring mattress to an interested customer.

Or another example is our heat and massage option for our recliner chairs. This extra feature is a bit of luxury, whilst also providing great relief for those who suffer from back pain.

As our products are made-to-measure and customisable to the customer’s needs, our products can vary dramatically to be a unique solution to every customer.

TWB: What role do you believe businesses like Grosvenor Mobility play in promoting inclusivity and accessibility in society?

LR: Our products have a huge appeal to those with low mobility due to the features we have discussed today. However, we make it clear that these products are suitable for EVERYONE! By creating comfortable, accessible furniture that people of all ages, shapes and mobility levels can enjoy, we hope to remove some of the stigma around using these products. Suppose a young, active person can find themselves enjoying the benefits of an adjustable bed. In that case, there is absolutely no shame in someone who suffers from arthritis or other mobility issues using the product either.

We want to create an inclusive product that is suitable for everyone to use. By making accessible furniture that is not JUST for people with low mobility, but all, we are removing a sense of separation that can be present within accessible features/products.

A great way of making the products feel suitable for everyone is through design. Grosvenor likes our beds and chairs to look as good as they feel to use, which is why at first glance it isn’t obvious that our furniture act as mobility aids at all. Our beds and chairs fit into homes seamlessly, meaning you don’t have to worry about having medical-looking equipment in the room.

Visit the Grosvenor Mobility website here.

If you wish to get in touch for more information about Grosvenor Mobility, contact travis@thisisdigital.co.uk.

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