Alison and Jan - the two Go Genie's - spent the day checking out the access in Birmimgham City centre.

Alison took her Scooter: there's practical reasons for this:

• She's asthmatic and it helps her rush past people who are smoking (it is no fun stuggling behind someone and trying not to have an asthma attack at the same time)
• in a round about way it makes her very aware of the state of the roads and pavements when I'm on it. This is a sharp reminder of a small bit of the discomfort disabled people and wheelchair users like Jan face every day on the streets and pavements.

Jan took his wheelchair - there's also practical reasons for this. ;)

It was fun to head down hill (on the scooter and the chair) to Brewsmiths Coffe and Tea shop check out their page on Go Genie.

They opened not that long ago and was our first visit. We found:

• fab tea and cake and a brilliant welcome
• decent access (the fixed baby changing restricts the access for wheelchair users needing to transfer but they are working on it)
• there's one step (3") to get in and best of all
  
  • Active wheelchair users like Jan can manage it because the door opens to the inside
  • For electric wheelchairs it would rather be a problem => need for a ramp!
• it has room no tables on top of each other, plenty of space and mix of tables and chairs
• Snow Hill Station entrance is next door

All the facilities, pics and review are upon Go Genie 

We were there so long I was racing against time to get around the Jewellery Quarter. No mean feat in this historic part of town.

Why there? - We went into the tourist office an picked up the heritage trail of the Jewellery Quarter. The downside is it has no information about access or timing each trail takes. As most people going round are going to either be heritage buffs or older people you'd think they would add it.

Birmingham Tourist Information handed us an access guide from Birmingham City Council listing the access for various services and places across the city. It was in a cupboard behind the counter and we were told they had to pinch them from the council! Unbelievable! 

Find it if you can ....

This was the pavements -  all the side streets covered with cars - no surprise there, not very wheelchair friendly!

The RBSA has good access inside as they told us on Twitter and said they'd feed back comments to the council but they can't replace the rickerty pavement as they are original tiles and listed by English Heritage.

It's a challenge: at what price do we keep the original if it means it's inaccessible? All we could think: it is just a pavement, isn't it?!

 

What do you think - heritage or accessibility? Feel free to comment!

 

 

Alison and Jan vowed to document their travels to Birmingham to test out Go Genie using twitter, their mobile phones and Alison's iPad with wifi access.

The @go_genie call out for suggestions via twitter gained two responses:

@getgood: Spotted Dog, Anchor pub, Bodega, Electric Cinema, Urban Coffee Co

@falsedog: Botannical Gardens, Pen musuem, back-to-backs, musem (Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery), catacombs, indoor markets

There are only so many hours in a day and lots to chose from so we picked the Jewellery Quarter with the aim of wizzing around (with the aid of Alison's scooter which doubled up as a tester for how bumpy the pavements were) ... We wanted to see those catacombs where John Baskerville was burried.

Alison used to work in Birmimgham so wanted to experience it from an area she didn't know very well to get a true flavour. Jan obviously, since he is only here since September, mostly knew his campus area in Perry Barr and the city center.

It got off to a bad start ...

Telford Central:

If Alison drives it takes her 10 minutes to get there. If she catches the bus it takes AN HOUR thanks to the Arriva bus route via Telford Shopping centre to change (only 2 an hour of them as well).

 

People constantly smoke outside the entrance to Telford Central, next to the notices and outside ticket machine. As an asthmatic Alison feels like she's being attacked, her lungs are squashed and it is almost impossible to breathe.

It's also right next to the blue badge parking which is unenforced with taxis and others using it as a drop off layby by the parking attendants since they park there was well! Insane: Jan would have had no chance to get a parking space if enough people are ignorant enough...

We have been told by the station supervisor from London Midland it is not their responsibility to police it despite the notices as well the police don't...

 

 

The train takes 40-50 minutes to Birmingham but there are only TWO trains an hour. Miss the 8minutes past one and you are stuck there till 51 minutes past to get the next one with no facilities. It is being revamped but no lift access will be added from platform 2 (long steep ramp up from platform to the bridge area).

With Jan it is not such a big problem, because he can easily (and faster as with the ramp) be lifted by two people, but imagine an electric wheelchair or a heavier guy?

We were told via twitter that people regularly have problems getting assistance as it's not booked despite being forced to give 48 HOURS notice if you need it. So much for getting a train when you feel like it.

Sometimes, it worked - from Jan's experience - but this is quite random. There are days when it works perfectly - you pop into the train station, get help, tell them where you want to go and two stations after someones already waits with a ramp - but especially on BIGGER stations where it should be better there are sometimes problems.

But: always have a try and ask at the information point! That sometimes turns the situation around. Don't bother with bureaucracy too much.

Birmingham New street: 

You would be hard pushed to find the lift access from any platform to the station and down. It's hidden away so cleverly that we joined a group of mums with kids in their pushchairs who said to each other we have no choice but to use the stairs (the signage is clear but when it is crowded you can't see anything).

There are signs on the floor but getting off a train you would be hard pushed to see this:

Would anyone think to look for this:

 

The lift goes down to basement of the station and then you have to follow the signs to lift for platform 6/7 to get back up again. We met the mums when they came back up as they couldnt find their way out. The lift doesn't even exit in the main bit of the station but outside - everyone looked confused.

Jan had those problems in the beginning, but luckily always had his friends with him - they managed to find their way together in the end. On your own as a wheelchair user you first have to organise the transport and ramps - normally have no time to look out for lifts and all the other stuff.

Next up the accessible loos - in the main concourse so you have to show your ticket to get to them. Alison and Jan are both disabled but don't have RADAR (NDKYS) keys to unlock the toilet so we thought we'd check and see what would happen if we asked.

Jan's was accepted but Alison's request was met with disbelief and demanded that she  shows PROOF of her disability! She has a disabled rail card but how many people do? Alison was shocked. When she challenged being asked she was told people fake it and use it for IVF (was probably her lack of hearing there but assuming meant people were using the toilet to take drugs).

We did get in to the loo - the main ones - the attendant wouldn't let Alison use the accessible toilet.

She doesn't look disabled, she has invisible disabilities - why should anyone have to prove their access needs all because a member of staff decides whether you are disabled or not?

We headed for the the nearest place suggested Bodega - Alison knows and loves the food but the access is really insufficient . There are three large steps in so that rules out anyone who hates steps or has kids with them in a pushchair (on needs wheelchair access). It's also noisy even when it's quiet because they keep putting the music up the more people that are in there.

The machines behind the bar make a right racket which if you wear hearing aids like Alison it's hell. Staff never offer seating and always put people by the window whether they want to or not and even said they were full when it was empty. So why did we go? We love the food and wanted to check it out properly.

The menu doubles as a place mat so it was more accessible than most menus you can see what it says! We ordered, asked about the access as Alison knew they had an accessible toilet.

How does a wheelchair user get in? They can't, there is no portable ramp to make it accessible.

The card Alison gave to the waitress was handed back to her with the Bodega website address on it to contact them about the access. Considering the sign saying M/F is bigger than the wee sign above saying wheelchair accessible toilet we got the impression they didn't really care. 

 

 

I use Telford Central to commute. As a Disabled person I arrive nervous at whether my journey will go smoothly. All becuase taxis and commuters use the blue badge bays as a dropping off point. This happens every time I use the station.

I've nearly had several accidents turning into park despite signalling, the car (or taxi) behind me has decided the disabled parking bays as a easy dropping off point even though they are clearly marked for blue badge holders.

I wonder if I'll have to squeeze in between two cars badly parked across the blue badge spaces (again) as there are no other spaces available (and they are taking up 4). I don't want to have to ask drivers to move. They glare at me as I park up in annoyance that they have to reverse to get past me.

I wonder if the next time there is a replacement bus service from the station that the driver will park across the blue badge bays and go in and tell staff at the ticket office that I was aggressive when I asked why he was parked there.

I wonder if the parking ticket inspectors who repeatedly park up their white van in the blue badge bay really understand how hypocritical it is to issue parking fines to to other drivers despite clearly not displaying a blue badge.

When I challenged them - they told me if a disabled person needed the space "They should go into the ticket office and they will phone us and we will move the van". 

Meteorphoneparking told me all their inspectors travelled by public transport despite my pictures proving otherwise. They say "Meteor's policy is to employ staff of the highest calibre and experience that ensures excellent product delivery ..." Mmm. 

The problem is I'm told despite London Midland being brilliant at responding to my complaints parking is the responsibility of Meteor. Trouble is I don't see Meteor stopping or educating drivers about their selfish and dangerous driving (why should they if they are using the bays themselves?)

Or will it be the lack of accessible toilets which they failed to install despite the able- bodied loos being in place since December? They closed most of the station for refubishment last week to refurbish the station and failed to consider how their disabled passengers would spend a penny. One tweet later to @londonmidland they re-opened the accessible toilet inside. 

I'll finish with my last thought - will they have fixed the broken lock on the accessible loo as at present anyone can open the door leaving anyone trying to use it is directly exposed to the queue of bus commuters waiting directly opposite. That is if you can get up the ramp and open the door or know it is an accessible loo (there's no sign on it).

 

 

Go Genie is being road-tested by Alison Smith founder of Pesky People and Go Genie who is taking a tour five cities to spend a day in each documenting exactly how accessible our biggest cities are.

She will be adding what she finds to Go Genie using her mobile - especially the information that isn't listed on a company's website that people need to find answers to like has it pushchair access, wheelchair access, parking, toilets, steps, direct contact information and so on.

Go Genie has been designed completely in response to what disabled people want. Whilst it is early days for us there is lots more we want to do to improve access and get companies to make their services accessible.

To make this happen we need your help.

• Suggest great places to visit - cafe, tourist attraction, shop, pub, resturant - it is about the place - Alison will discover what the access is when we get there.
• Where do you recommend? - tell us on Twitter @go_genie or use the hashtag #gogenie
• Why not meet up with Alison for a coffee if you live/work in any of the cities - follow her on twitter / facebook - tell her your views on the access in your city.
• Add your own insight on Go Genie - why not add the access information for three of your favourite places? 
• Alison is also going to visit five places recommended online by the train companies serving the five cities and see what she discovers

 

Using public transport) Alison is visiting:

• Manchester
• Glasgow
• Birmingham
• Cardiff
• London

 

Alison will be adding access information, reviews, pictures, videos all to Go Genie from the minute she sets off. 

She'll also be blogging on Go Genie (using posterous) to find out how easy to get around each of these cities as well as sharing it via twitter and facebook.

Yes we are on a tight budget (isn't everyone) Pesky People is a new start up and Go Genie has been fortunate to be funded by NESTA and received a grant from NOKIA to build a mobile phone app so we are open to ...

• sponsorship ideas or sponsorship to get around or visit places
• offers of help to document your home city

What will Go Genie cover - the whole aim of Go Genie is to crowdsource - make it easy to find the information you need but make it easy to add it as well.

We already have a huge listing as we are using four square API for the venue information but every where you look there is no mention of access info and the wee nuggets of information that make a difference.

So what do you know about your favourite place? Has it got 

• parking (including blue badge bays)
• wheelchair access
• baby changing facilties 
• accessible loos
• steps
• induction loops at the counter
• provide info in large print or braille
• allow guide dogs in
• seating
• contact information to arrange access