Access to Goods and Services: From 1 October the final access duties under Part 3 of the DDA (Access to Goods, Facilites and Services) will be in place. Service providers in the private, public or voluntary sectors will need to take reasonable steps to remove, alter, or provide a resonable means of avoiding any physical feature of premises which makes access to a service impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people. Where no physical adjustments could be considered reasonable, a service provider can meet his duties by providing a service by another means.

Further details of the changes noted above and the duties under the DDA can be found at:
www.disability.gov.uk/dda/employers/employers.asp.

Quite a few shops have altered there premises to allow disabled access,but in Wombwell the Pounstretcher Shop removed a ramp because some lazy sod decided to use the ramp instead of the steps ,this person was not old ,have a pram,or have a disabilty but she fell down on the ramp & sued the shop & what did they do ,they took out the ramp so that no other person would have a fall & claim against them.I have argued that my son has to pull me up 6 steps to get me in or I wait outside.But my questions are ignored.The new act comes into force in Oct 2004 ,I cannot wait to go down there & tell them they are denying me & other disabled people access & then if they still do not I will report them.I cannot stand shops who have this attitude to the disabled & ladies with prams & the elderly.Is our money not as good as anyone elses.Shops are loosing in the region of £750 million every year because they do not want to spoil the look of there shop with a ramp.Well I say more fool them.Any others got any input to the act.

I agree totally with the new laws, but I own a scrap yard and because of the layout and smaller size of this place I cannot adapt it to allow access into the building a wheelchair user (though there has always been access into the yard itself). but because I can see this will cause problems I will give any assistance needed to any person who wishes to visit us customers are always welcome here !
I can`t understand why larger shops ect who could easily adapt thier premises haven`t done so anyway without the need of a new law, and to take away a ramp access is totally ridiculous.

mmm scrapyards, just a shame I haven't found any cheap, decent ones locally yet that have maestros/rover 200 mk 2 in :(

Back on topic - This law is good for the disabled for gaining access to larger shops, but I see it can make problems for smaller enterprises.

My pet hate is shops who provide disabled access, but then crams in loads of display stands for goods. So you can't get round in a wheelchair full stop or without knocking everything to the floor.

Originally posted by jan2002
I agree totally with the new laws, but I own a scrap yard and because of the layout and smaller size of this place I cannot adapt it to allow access into the building a wheelchair user (though there has always been access into the yard itself). but because I can see this will cause problems I will give any assistance needed to any person who wishes to visit us customers are always welcome here !
I can`t understand why larger shops ect who could easily adapt thier premises haven`t done so anyway without the need of a new law, and to take away a ramp access is totally ridiculous. Well done Jan I wish there were more considerate people like you in the world.I hope your business booms you deserve it.

To true .I have been in supermarkets & they are all the same isles packed with stupid displays,ok they have a right to market there products but don't they realise that ladies with prams & wheelchair users are going to have problems.why don't these big shops at least ask if there are any obstructions & then deal with them.I used to go in our local CO-OP up Hoyland but due to displays being everywhere I just stopped going it was murder trying to get round & when I asked the manager what he was going to do about it he said its up to head office.what an excuse.