Hi, I'm joelincs! Challenging local authority about inaccessible toilet door.

joelincs

I read the post by an ME impaired person about their difficulty opening heavy doors which I fully understand. At present I am challenging my local authority who have fitted, and refuses to remove a powerful hydraulic self closer to their public disabled toilet rendering in inaccessible to me as I am a wheelchair user with only one useable arm.

 It’s impossible for me to hold the door open and drive my chair at the same time.

Sandy_123

Morning @joelincs that sounds a night mare for you. Let's hope they listen and look at the situation again

L_Volunteer

Hey @joelincs. A warm welcome to Scope's community from me. 

It sounds like you are having a really difficult time at the moment with some accessibility barriers. I have noted this is something you are currently challenging your local authority about.

Can I ask how you are currently managing all of this? I just want to make sure we support you the best we can and you don't have to go through this alone if you don't want to 

Cher_Alumni

Hi @joelincs and a warm welcome to our online community, how are you doing?

I'm glad you found us when looking into this topic. It must be extremely frustrating to have such a barrier to using public conveniences. It's hard to comprehend the logic behind some facilities, and I admire you challenging this with your local authority for not only the benefit of yourself, but the wider public too. How is this going so far? 

Just to let you know, I've moved your thread to our 'Exercise and accessible facilities' category and tweaked the title to help others spot it more freely.

Wishing you the very best for a successful outcome.

joelincs

So far I’ve started an action in the small claims court ( an unwanted expense). T
my council were cocky enough to turn up at the first directions hearing without legal representation.
the day before the hearing they woke up and postponed the hearing to consult a professional legal representative and the hearing was put back  approximately 5 months  until June so I’m still left on tenderhooks.

What would assist me is locating information or any evidence of any or other disabilities that are disadvantaged by difficult to open doors. An idiot amateur  access auditor ( disabled by diabetes) wrote that the powerful automated door closer would benefit some disabled people to access the accessible lavatory, which is ludicrous. And they wrote is as experts on disability for the people that I’m challenging. AND they used the M regs to legitimise the door spring tension when the M regs don’t apply and even if they did and alternate should be found and used.     
 

L_Volunteer

This does sound really frustrating @joelincs. Hopefully, other people who have been disadvantaged by difficult to open doors will be able to respond to you soon. 

This would enable you to locate information/evidence of other disabilities that are disadvantaged by difficult to open doors. 

In the meantime, I have a friend in a wheelchair (due to multiple chronic health conditions) who is disadvantaged by difficult to open doors so I can only empathise with you.

Have you asked them about the disabilities they were referring to within their auditing and/or challenge them on their reasonable adjustments as outlined in the Equality Act?

We are all here for you and listening to you. You don't have to experience this alone if you don't want to 

POGGYFLOSS

Any one withmsk conditions, frail elderly anyone reliant on wheeled walking aids-Me- inflamatory and condition. In fact I cannot think of anyone it would  benefit!

joelincs

The scaffold company was not employed by the council which is what confuses me. I’m hoping someone will tell me what I missed. I have searched the equality act and I can’t find anything.

L_Volunteer

Seems too easy to blame yourself @joelincs and what you may or may not have missed. Please don't hesitate to let us know if there's anything we can do to help