davidgillon | Entries tagged with polling stations

Presiding officer at polling station: "You're the one who raised the issue last year with the double doors being too narrow for wheelchairs if only one is open, aren't you? I did raise it, but now someone's stuck a sign on the other one saying 'do not open this door'".

OTOH they did fix* the issue with one of the inner double doors before I'd finished voting. It was propped open with a large armchair, which meant I had to slalom around it and come at the doorway from an awkward angle, which would have blocked a power chair or mobility scooter if it could get past the outer door. And the presiding officer walked out with me to be sure I could get out this time - last year I could get in but not out as the differing approach angles ran me into the door frame one way but not the other, this year I have a slightly narrower chair.

*By propping both doors open with large armchairs {Le Sigh}.

It sort of illustrates the problems with polling station access. The building is a school, and my guess is the left-hand outer door is broken, so rather than fix it, they just keep it bolted shut because kids and able-bodied teachers can get through the right-hand one without issue. But a polling station has to be accessible to a lot more people, some of whom will be using mobility aids that are too wide for the single door. I can report the problem to the Electoral Registration Officer until the cows come home, but he can't actually make the school fix the issue.

I suspect the school is generally fairly clueless on access issues. There are two kerb cuts onto the paving in front of the doors, one is half-blocked by a large planter at the top....