Access Audits (in relation to the Disability Discrimination Act, 1995) will gradually become more well-known as time passes towards 2004, by which date most buildings which could be visited by the public will have to have addressed the needs of all types of disabled persons, and taken practical steps to make them user-friendly and accessible. There will be enormous scope for differences of opinion as to what constitutes reasonable compliance with the spirit and letter of the Law.
The biggest problem for those responsible for compliance and problem-solving will be balancing the monetary cost of alterations against the estimated frequency of use by disabled persons, always remembering that there are many more categories of disabled person than those who use wheelchairs.
Ian McCall is currently planning a programme of training which will enable him to appear on the National Register of Access Consultants as an Access Auditor.