We would like to thank everyone in the Midlands region who completed a Polls Apart survey when they went to vote. Particular thanks go to members of Scope’s East and West Midlands Partnership Committees, members of the Campaign’s Network and the staff of the Midlands Community Team
The ramp provided wasn’t suitable - unstable going over four steps and no access over a high step into the building. A large number of wheelchair users were using the polling station as it’s close to a college for disabled students - the officer suggests that wheelchair users vote outside!
Polls Apart 2005 volunteer, Coventry South
Polls Apart: MIdlands (Word Document 69KB)
This year has seen an increase in the use of poorly designed and unsafe ramps. At this election 37% of ramps used across the UK were inappropriately designed compared to 35% in the Midlands. Though the Midlands performed slightly better than the UK average these findings suggest that temporary ramps are widely being used as an inappropriate alternative to permanent access adjustments. As poorly designed ramps are dangerous and do nothing to improve access it is vital that that this trend is reversed.
The attitudes of polling station staff towards disabled voters and the way staff provide support to vote can make a huge difference to a disabled person’s experience of voting so it was very positive that 94% of polling station staff were helpful and friendly in the Midlands.
77% of polling stations surveyed in the Midlands provided a tactile voting device. This is significantly better than the national average of 68%. The tactile voting device enables some voters with visual and coordination impairments to mark their ballot paper independently and therefore cast their vote in secret. This is also a legal requirement under the Representation of the People Act so it is still concerning that 23% of polling stations in the Midlands were breaking the law.
The Midlands performed poorly in relation to other regions of the UK with 75% of polling stations failing the Polls Apart basic access test compared to 68% nationally.
59% of polling stations in the Midlands had level access, compared to 60% UK wide. This prompts serious questions about the extent to which service providers are complying with the October 2004 Disability Discrimination Act duties. To make matters worse many disabled people reported that many buildings did in fact have ramps or accessible entrances but that these were locked away or not used.
Only 54% of polling stations in the Midlands had low-level ballot booths
compared to 68% nationwide. Low-level ballot booths guarantee privacy for
wheelchair users and disabled and older voters who may need to sit down to
vote and are one of the simplest ways to improve access at a polling station.
Whichever way we look at it access to polling stations in the Midlands is still poor. 75% of polling stations in the region failed our basic access test. This means that many disabled people in the Midlands would have found it difficult or impossible to vote at the General Election 2005.
The UK wide Polls Apart 2005 evaluation results were very disappointing revealing
that the number of accessible polling stations has only improved by 1% since
2001. Though the Midlands region performed better in some areas than the nationwide
average it is extremely concerning that in some areas performance was significantly
worse than the national average.
