The government began consultation on proposals for using its regulation-making powers in the Disability Discrimination Bill in respect of the Bill s duties on: private clubs; landlords and managers of rented premises; the extension of the definition of disability; and the extension of the procedure for asking and answering questions about alleged discrimination.
Source: Disability Discrimination Bill: Consultation on private clubs; premises; the definition of disability and the questions procedure, Cm 6402, Department for Work and Pensions, TSO (0870 600 5522) | House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 16 December 2004, columns 154-156WS, TSO
Links: Consultation document (pdf) | Hansard | DWP press release
Date: 2004-Dec
The Court of Appeal ruled that both airlines and airports had a duty to provide free wheelchairs, following a dispute in which a disabled passenger was charged for using a wheelchair.
Source: The Guardian, 22 December 2004
Links: Guardian report | DRC press release
Date: 2004-Dec
A report said that disabled people continued to be denied access to two-thirds of pubs, restaurants, cinemas and shops - despite new legal rights. A separate survey found that many disabled people would not even attempt to make rail journeys, due to the lack of accessible toilets.
Source: Andrew Crooks, Paul May and Kate McGinlay, Free2Pee: Lifting the lid on bad access, Scope (020 7619 7341) | Press release 23 December 2004, Leonard Cheshire (020 7802 8204)
Links: Report (pdf) | Scope press release
Date: 2004-Dec
The government announced that its preferred 'end date' by which all rail vehicles would have to meet accessibility regulations was 2020. It also announced that it intended to require access improvements when rail vehicles were being refurbished.
Source: House of Commons Hansard, Written Ministerial Statement 29 November 2004, column 18WS, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Hansard
Date: 2004-Nov
A report said that 96 per cent of books were never published in formats that people with sight problems could read - such as large print, audio or braille.
Source: David Mann, Written Off, Royal National Institute of the Blind (020 7388 1266)
Links: No link
Date: 2004-Nov
The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee published its 2003-04 annual report, and began consultation on its strategy for the period 2005-2007.
Source: Annual Report 2003-2004, Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (020 7944 8011) | Consultation on DPTAC 2005-07 Strategy, Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
Links: Annual Report (pdf) | Annual report | Consultation document (pdf) | Consultation document
Date: 2004-Oct
The final part (Part 3) of the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act took effect on 1 October 2004, requiring organizations which provided a service to the public to make 'reasonable' improvements to their buildings - such as installing ramps and wide aisles - so that no disabled person was prevented from using them. At the same time Part 2, covering employment, was extended to all employers, except the armed forces: for the first time small employers (with fewer than 15 staff) were brought into the scope of the Act.
Source: Press release 1 October 2004, Department for Work and Pensions (020 7712 2171)
Links: DWP press release | DRC press release | Observer report | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Oct
A report highlighted failings in the support offered by family doctors and accident/emergency departments to patients who were deaf.
Source: David Reeves, Access to Health Services for Deaf People, National Primary Care Research and Development Centre (0161 275 0611)
Links: Overview (pdf) | A&E report (pdf) | GP/PTC report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Aug
Researchers looked at progress made by policy makers and transport operators since 1998 in providing accessible transport for disabled people in Scotland. Progress had been made on many issues: but there were still some areas of Scotland where provision varied - public transport was generally worse for those living in very rural, sparsely populated, or island areas.
Source: Reid Howie Associates Ltd, Transport Provision for Disabled People in Scotland: Progress since 1998, Scottish Executive, TSO (0870 606 5566)
Links: Report | Summary | SE press release
Date: 2004-Jul
A report examined disabled people's use of, and attitudes to, community transport. Overall, awareness and knowledge about community transport was low. Availability of community transport also appeared to be low: a quarter of disabled people said that no form of community transport was available in their area.
Source: MORI, Attitudes of Disabled People to Community Transport, Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (020 7944 8011)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary
Date: 2004-Jun
The government responded to a report by a committee of MPs (Transport Select Committee) on access by disabled people to transport services.
Source: The Government's Response to TSC's Disabled People's Access to Transport Report, Cm 6184, Department for Transport (020 7944 3098)
Links: Response (pdf) | MPs report
Date: 2004-May
Researchers found that disabled people were generally interested in using the internet but might be held back by practical problems. Government subsidies to meet the costs of computers, of online access, and of assistive devices for disabled people on benefits or low incomes, together with greater support for organisations providing information on assistive devices and training, would do much to overcome these barriers.
Source: Doria Pilling, Paul Barrett and Mike Floyd, Disabled People and the Internet: Experiences, barriers and opportunities, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report (pdf) | JRF Findings 524
Date: 2004-May
A report examined the barriers faced by disabled people to going to and enjoying theatre, concerts and the arts.
Source: Jo Verrent, Karen Flood and Gus Garside, Welcoming People with a Learning Disability to your Venue, Mencap (020 7454 0454)
Links: Report (pdf) | Mencap press release
Date: 2004-May
An investigation into the user friendliness of websites - covering government, business, leisure, web services and e-commerce websites - found that many might not be complying with equal access laws, and that it was only a matter of time before they faced legal challenge from disabled consumers.
Source: The Web: Access and Inclusion for Disabled People, Disability Rights Commission, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report (pdf) | DRC press release | RNIB press release
Date: 2004-Apr
Research found that most institutions had made progress with appointing staff and developing admissions policies to aid access to higher education for disabled students. However, teaching and learning provision was still poor and would require a cultural change by institutions.
Source: Sheila Riddell, Disabled Students and Multiple Policy Innovations in Higher Education, Economic and Social Research Council (01793 413000)
Links: Report (pdf) | Summary (pdf)
Date: 2004-Apr
A report by a committee of MPs said that, while a fully accessible transport system would take a long time to deliver, and some changes would not be possible in the short term, disabled people deserved to have accessibility issues considered promptly, and to be given a clear timescale for change.
Source: Disabled People's Access to Transport, Sixth Report (Session 2003-04), HC 439, House of Commons Transport Select Committee, TSO (0870 600 5522)
Links: Report
Date: 2004-Mar
A report criticised the National Health Service for the 'ignorance and insensitivity' of its staff in dealing with people who were hearing impaired. It said the NHS could face legal action unless significant improvements were made.
Source: A Simple Cure: A national report into deaf and hard of hearing people s experiences of the National Health Service, RNID (0808 808 0123)
Links: Report (pdf) | Guardian report
Date: 2004-Mar
The Northern Ireland Executive issued a discussion paper on the proposed scope, objectives and consultation arrangements for the development of its accessible transport strategy.
Source: Developing an Accessible Transport Strategy for Northern Ireland: Issues paper, Department for Regional Development/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9054 0608)
Links: Paper (pdf) | NIE press release
Date: 2004-Feb
A report said that there was a shortage of independent advocacy services for disabled people with physical, sensory, communication and profound and multiple impairments.
Source: Wendy Lewington and Caroline Clipson, Advocating for Equality, Independent Advocacy Campaign, c/o Scope (020 7619 7342)
Links: Report (pdf)
Date: 2004-Jan
A county court ruled that an airline company (Ryanair) acted unlawfully in not ensuring that a wheelchair was provided free of charge for disabled passengers to use at Stansted Airport so that they could get to their plane. It awarded the plaintiff (Bob Ross) 1,336 in compensation - 36 for the amount the company originally charged him for hiring a wheelchair, 300 for the purchase of a wheelchair, and 1,000 for injury to feelings. The company said it would appeal, and announced a 50p surcharge on the price of all its seats to meet the cost of wheelchair provision.
Source: The Guardian, 31 January 2004
Links: Guardian report | DRC press release | Scope press release
Date: 2004-Jan