Ms Bridget Boyle:

I will elaborate on the point made by Ms Murphy about the burning issues people encounter on a daily basis. As a person who uses a wheelchair, I can report first-hand on the matter. It is about taking the natural journey. Let us suppose I use my car in the morning. Can I get into it? Ms Murphy made the same point. Do I have sufficient space to open the door of my car? When I arrive at my destination, can I get out of my car? It is a question of accessible car parking.

Another issue our members often encounter relates to footpaths that are not accessible. They are either not wide enough or the surface is not conducive to use of a wheelchair. A person may not have ramped access to a footpath. Again, it is about taking the natural journey.

I am keen to reinforce one point relating to access to the built environment. It is more than a question of getting into a building; it is about what it opens up for a person with a disability. The ability to access a building includes access to education, employment and social interaction. It is about what everyone expects. There is one question I always pose when I talk about access: can I go where you go? To me, that is the essence of the issue. We can also discuss access with reference to egress. Can I get out of a building? I may be able to get in, but can I get out? It is all about safe evacuation. We have covered this issue extensively in our guidelines.