Slough Borough Council: Better Access for All Berkshire

Better Access for All Berkshire

It is estimated that there are nearly 12 million disabled people in the UK. Disabled people have often been denied access to facilities and services that able-bodied people have taken for granted.

The difficulties often relate, not to an individual's disability, but to the lack of thought and awareness of society when designing the built environment around us and when establishing how services are provided.

The way that buildings are designed has an impact on disabled people, elderly people and parents with children. Their access requirements should be incorporated into how we shape our environment. We can all benefit from a more easily accessible built environment. Accessible design is invariably good design for all.

All six unitary authorities in Berkshire are working to ensure that the environment around us is accessible to all. "Designing for Accessibility in Berkshire" has been produced to give guidance to those who are planning, designing and implementing how we shape the built environment. It details the standards of accessibility that each authority is looking to achieve.