In April 2014 SAFE first became aware that the accessibility of the newly refurbished Kings Gardens was totally unacceptable. After working tirelessly for almost 4 years there are now ramps in the Sunken Garden and the Bowling Green, the four shelters round the curve of the lake are accessible, there is an accessible roundabout in the play area, rails on the hump of the Venetian bridge and a safety rail on the step outside the Tea Rooms.
Although we are happy with the accessibility of Kings Gardens for wheelchair users and those with limited mobility we are extremely disappointed with the provisions that have been made to meet the requirements of people with a visual impairment. Despite the Project Team providing a large TacMap by the entrance and smaller signs with audio description around the gardens to help anyone who is visually impaired to find their way around, they repeatedly refused to provide tactile paving so that the people they were designed to help can find them.