A
BILL
TO
Amend the Equality Act 2010 to improve access to public buildings; and to
introduce six and twelve inch rules for step-free access.
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present
Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
(1)
Section 20 of the Equality Act 2010 (adjustments for disabled persons: duty to
make adjustments) is amended as follows.
(2) After subsection (9) insert the following new subsection—
“(9A)
5Reasonable steps taken under subsection (4) shall require buildings to
introduce a ramp, suitable for wheelchair access, in substitution for a
single access step if the single access step is of less than six inches.”
(3) After subsection (9) insert the following new subsection—
“(9B)
Reasonable steps taken under subsection (4) shall require buildings to
10introduce a ramp, suitable for wheelchair access, in substitution for a
single access step if the single access step is of less than twelve inches.”
(4) After subsection (9) insert the following new subsection—
“(9C)
Reasonable steps which require a building to introduce a ramp, as
referred to in subsections (9A) and (9B), do not apply to buildings
15which have more than one step in order to gain access.”
(1) This Act extends to England and Wales and Scotland.
(2)
This Act comes into force on the day on which it is passed, save for the
provisions in subsections (3) and (4).
(3)
20Section 1(2) and (4) come into force at the end of the period of twelve months
beginning with the day on which this Act is passed.
Equality Act 2010 (Amendment) BillPage 2
(4)
Section 1(3) comes into force at the end of the period of two years beginning
with the day on which this Act is passed.
(5) This Act may be cited as the Equality Act 2010 (Amendment) Act 2014.