"I was led to believe that Charing Cross Police Station had better than average facilities for disabled people. That is not the case.
I will be setting down questions in the London Assembly, asking how the Metropolitan Police are going to implement the new regulations that come into force this autumn, with regard to accessibility in public buildings for disabled people."
Eve Grace, a wheelchair user, Noel Lynch AM and Dr Joseph Healy, Green Party Disability Speaker found no ramp was available for wheelchair users and the first bell for did not work. The second was working but there was a four minute wait for a reply.
Three minutes later a policeman came outside and they were escorted around the side of the police station for entry.
Noel Lynch said, "All in all, it took about ten minutes for Eve to get inside the station. This may not seem long but if Eve had been attacked or mugged, the long wait would have been distressing."
Once inside the police station, Eve Grace asked to use the toilet facilities. At first, she was told there were no toilet facilities for customers, but she insisted and was eventually escorted to the third floor.
In the toilets, there was no cord for the light and no emergency switch. The police told Noel that they usually did not allow access to the toilets as ‘they were on a state of high alert.’
Noel continued, "We then visited an interview room where the table had to be moved to accommodate a wheelchair user."
Dr Joseph Healy said, "Accessibility is a vital issue that affects thousands of Londoners. No one should be excluded from using public buildings and spaces because of poor physical access."
Greens in the London Assembly are calling for all public buildings, including tube, bus and railway stations to be examined for access for use by disabled people and to ensure that disabled people are part of the decision making process.
Eve Grace commented that all in all the police station was very hostile for disabled people and was an example of ‘exclusionist architecture."
Noel concluded, "I was led to believe that Charing Cross Police Station was one of the better examples for wheelchair users and that it was refurbished in 1992. Signage for disabled people was virtually non-existent and the police although trying to be helpful were inadequately prepared to deal with disabled people. I have been constantly told by the Commissioner that police stations in the capital are accessible but clearly they are not. If Charing Cross is good, what on earth are ‘bad’ ones like? Questions clearly need to be asked."
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. Following the provision under the Disability Discrimination Act that all public buildings must be fully accessible to disabled people from October this year, Greens in the London Assembly are calling for all public buildings, including tube, bus and railway stations to be examined for access for use by disabled people and to ensure that disabled people are part of the decision making process.
The Green Party warns that failure to adhere to this legislation by any public body will lead to legal action and the Green Party will fully support the efforts of disabled Londoners to ensure that the Act is complied with.
2. Noel Lynch is a member of the London Assembly for the Green Party. He is also a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority.
ENDS