Skift Take
Most destinations and businesses that lack adequate access for the disabled fail the simple task of reaching out for expert advice in the first place.
Britain’s hotels, attractions, rail operators and airlines are still not sufficiently equipped to cater for travellers with disabilities, leading charities said this week.
With the Paralympics providing a timely opportunity to assess how well the country’s tourism facilities are serving disabled travellers, calls have been made for better staff training and clearer information about disabled access and facilities.
Guy Parckar, head of policy and campaigns at the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability, said that, although significant progress had been made in this area in recent years, there was plenty of room for improvement.
“Often accessible hotels are rendered totally inaccessible because staff aren’t trained,” he said. “We recently heard of a hotel guest who was turned away because he had a guide dog – remarkable in this day and age.
“We’d also like to see hotels looking beyond the provision of level access and consider additional features like hoists to cater for a variety of disabilities."
He added: “London’s bus network is very good, but we still hear of drivers refusing to stop for wheelchair users or ramps that don’t work. Facilities on trains are getting better, but stations have a long way to go and sometim
