Access and extra help for a disability or sensory loss

Sometimes it’s not easy to get to all the places that you want to visit, particularly if you have a disability or you experience other problems that make getting out and about difficult.

Richmond has an easy accessibility guide so you can check a venue before you go. There are also schemes listed below that can help you to get around independently. Please also visit our section on Disabilities and Sensory Loss.

National Rail

To pre-book help getting on and off trains call 0845 7443366 or check out information for disabled passengers.

Travel Mentoring Service

The Transport for London Travel Mentoring Service gives Londoners with a disability advice on planning a journey. It can also help them gain the confidence to make more use of public transport by providing someone to accompany them the first few times they use a low floor bus, accessible tube route or overground train service. For more information call  020 3054 4361 or follow the link.

Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)

DPTAC has published a helpful transport and travel guide for disabled and less mobile people called Door to Door.

Support if you have sight loss

Rehabilitation Officers for the Blind offer mobility training, including learning new routes, identifying land marks and using low vision aids to help with orientation and travel information. Contact the Access Team for Adult Social Services.

Richmond Council provides descriptions of the public transport and road networks next to the civic offices in Twickenham and safe routes between public transport and the civic offices. Click on the link for more information.

Directions for the visually impaired

Describe Online also offers descriptive text guides to help you find your way around using public transport, including London Underground and National Rail.

RADAR National Key Scheme

The RADAR National Key Scheme (NKS) offers independent access to disabled people to around 9,000 locked public toilets around the country.

You can obtain a key for £3.50 from the online RADAR Shop if you have problems finding one locally. RADAR also publishes a guide to the 9,000+ NKS toilets and local services throughout the UK but there is a charge.

Community Toilet Scheme

This ground breaking scheme launched by Richmond Council enables local businesses like pubs, restaurants and shops, and the council to work together to make more clean, safe and accessible toilets available to the public. There are now nearly 100 premises taking part in the scheme. Around a third offer wheelchair access and a quarter offer baby changing facilities. For further information please visit Richmond Community Toilet Scheme

SIT STOP

The SIT STOP initiative was launched in the borough by an independent community group with the support of the council.

It aims to make life just a little bit easier for you if you need somewhere to sit down for a few minutes, whether you’re disabled, pregnant, unwell or just tired. Just go into any shop or business displaying the SIT STOP logo and sit down or ask for a seat. You don’t need to be a customer.

Richmond Advice Information and Disability (AID)

Richmond AID is an organisation of and for disabled people offering advice, benefits and gardening services. It also provides publications and leaflets, including the Disability Information Handbook, which is an in-depth guide to organisations and services available for disabled people in the borough.

Useful contacts

The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee
Secretariat

Address: 2/23 Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR
Phone: 020 7944 8011
Email: dptac@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Web: http://dptac.independent.gov.uk/

Richmond AID

Address: Disability Action & Advice Centre (DAAC), 4 Waldegrave Road, Teddington TW11 8HT
Phone (Advice Line): 020 8831 6070
Mobile/SMS: 07894215835
Email (Advice and information): advice@richmondaid.org.uk
Web: www.richmondaid.org.uk  

Action on Hearing Loss (formerly known as RNID)

Action on Hearing Loss offer information and resources for people who are deaf or hard of hearing

Royal National Institute for Blind People

RNIB offer information, advice and support to people with sight loss.