Senedd Estate

Part of 3. Questions to the Senedd Commission – in the Senedd at 3:05 pm on 1 March 2023.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 3:05, 1 March 2023

I thank you for highlighting what you have highlighted and the inadequacies that currently still exist. I finished my first part by answering you, saying that we're not complacent and that we will always strive to be inclusive, and that of course stands. The Senedd was designed to provide good access for disabled people, and we did have an access adviser employed during those design stages. There are wheelchair-accessible toilets across the estate and we have accessible parking spaces next to the Senedd and within the Tŷ Hywel car park, including a recently introduced electric vehicle access parking bay. The entrance to the Senedd, as you've pointed out, can be accessed via steps, ramp and a lift, and all assistance dogs for disabled people are admitted. And we do have designated wheelchair spaces in all public galleries, and there are wheelchairs available for members of the public and sufficient spaces in public areas to accommodate wheelchairs.

I think what is happening here is the design of the building not accommodating this individual's, and others like this individual's, ability to use a different type of vehicle to move around—different to that which was clearly assessed in the first design of this building. I'm very happy to work with you, and with anyone who wants to, to see if there are things that we can do to limit the inconvenience of those things that we aren't able to do. So, I look forward to working with you yet again, to make sure that we can improve the accessibility of this building. Thank you.