London needs more accessible design - City Hall

City Hall politicians said a group should be formed to discuss accessible design for the London Plan

Disabled people face too many access problems across London, City Hall politicians have warned.

A London Assembly committee suggested a group should be created to discuss inclusive design in the future.

It said the group would help advise on the next London Plan.

"Inclusive design needs to be a golden thread throughout the planning process," Jane Wilmot, chair of the Hammersmith and Fulham Disability Forum Planning Group said.

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In a letter to the Mayor of London, the London Assembly's planning and regeneration committee urged Sadiq Khan to convene a group of disabled Londoners and organisations representing disabled people to consider the matter.

The committee investigation found that the current London Plan did not have "enough emphasis on embedding inclusive design to enable disabled people to live independently in their local communities or across London".

The document is reviewed every few years and outlines how the city should develop over the coming decades.

The group was told that disabled people face too many access problems across London

Ms Wilmot, who provided evidence to the committee, said: "The reality is that most buildings, homes and places, even new ones, do not enable disabled people to enjoy the same opportunities in their local community that non-disabled people take for granted."

A spokeswoman for Mr Khan said that he had received the Assembly's letter and would respond.

They added: "The Mayor is committed to working with deaf and disabled people's organisations, charities, civil society organisations, businesses and other partners to understand and tackle barriers faced by disabled people."

The committee's letter, authored by its Labour chair Sakina Sheikh, also raised concerns about other issues and inequalities in London's planning system.

Ms Sheikh wrote: "The 2021 London Plan was finalised before the pandemic, and the committee is acutely aware of how Covid-19 uncovered and exacerbated many of the inequalities in our society.

"As we continue to recover from the pandemic, it is critical to integrate our learnings and begin reviewing the London Plan sooner."

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