Accessibility
BCB strives to provide a high and accurate level of information for all conference organisers and delegates wishing to base their event in Birmingham. This covers accessibility for delegates with visual, mobility or hearing impairments.
We have been working with our industry to ensure that there is excellent information available on line: here is an example of information about destinations in Birmingham, with access details, for disabled visitors, parents and carers with pushchairs or who need changing facilities, or routes for those crossing the city between the three mainline stations with heavy luggage:
www.visitbirmingham.com/navigatebirmingham
Pictorial routes with detailed information about landmarks and non-step options make getting around the city even easier. We have continued to innovate and have just completed the first of 10 hotel audits for the site, which show the internal layout and routes for mobility-impaired delegates to enable them to choose the hotel that is right for their needs.
Our website also has links to the following information so that disabled visitors, like non-disabled visitors, can choose the information they need to make their visit run smoothly.
Parking – information about Blue Badge parking including a map is available by phone, email and online.
Birmingham Shopmobility – provides free equipment to anyone with a mobility difficulty to access the city centre.
Wayfinder – Birmingham City Centre has The Wayfinder talking signs system to help blind and partially sighted people to find their way around the city centre and improve access to transport, shopping and visitor attractions.
Meet and greet – A member of the Street Warden team can meet delegates at a pre-arranged location – for example their arrival bus stop or the train station, and then walk with them to their conference centre or hotel.
Network West Midlands – A guide called ‘Getting Around – a guide to accessible public transport in the West Midlands’ is available by phone or online.
Visitor information – The Rotunda Tourism Centre and Welcome Centre are available for visitor information, where friendly, informative and multilingual staff are waiting to help. Both centres have level access, and a loop system for deaf and hard of hearing visitors. They are open for visits in person or by telephone. BT Typetalk calls are welcomed.
The Meet in Birmingham Conference Guide 2009 includes disabled access information for all directory listings. Information is also included in the Visit Birmingham pocket guide. In addition, call centre booking staff have access to detailed information from the hotels which states the availability of, amongst other auxiliary aids, bed blocks, adjoining rooms for personal assistants, vibrating alarm pillows, wet rooms with accessible showers etc. If they do not have the information which is needed for a specific guest, they will find out in person and call back.
