Top of page
Education and Employment

Hull University criticised for lack of wheelchair access

A wheelchair user at the top of steps in a lecture theatre

A student has criticised the University of Hull over the lack of wheelchair access on campus saying the institution has “completely missed the mark on what accessibility and inclusion means”, The Independent reports.

Earlier this month Sarah-Marie Da Silva, a first year student of zoology, shared a photograph of herself, taken by her lecturer, on Twitter. It shows her sitting at the back of a lecture theatre unable to get down the stairs or sit with her peers. The 21-year-old from Bedford says in the session last Friday she was unable to take notes or use equipment to record the lecture because she didn’t have a desk and couldn’t see the screen. But far from a one-off experience, Da Silva tells The Independent that since she started in October 2019 she has experienced access issues “in pretty much every building” she has been into on campus – some of them are only three years old.

She explains: “Stair lifts are often broken or unusable. In the library, there is a slope to get to the reading room and there is no rail, which is a massive hazard, especially for those with mobility disabilities,” she says, “In the labs, I have the corner of a bench that is adjustable, everyone else has the whole bench. Which has meant that sometimes I can’t complete my entire practical.”

On another occasion Da Silva claims a lift shut closed on her arm because it didn’t sense her wheelchair. She reported the incident but says complaints have not been taken seriously by staff.

You might also like

young blind woman with headphone using computer with refreshable braille display young blind woman with headphone using computer with refreshable braille display

Consultation to begin in Australia for Banking Accessibility Standards review

The Australian Banking Association (ABA) has engaged the Australian Network…

Assistant helping disabled woman in wheelchair move around city Assistant helping disabled woman in wheelchair move around city

TMF starts accepting applications for Mobility for ALL contest

Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF) started accepting applications for this year…

A woman in a wheelchair walks with her sister on a wooden pier by the sea A woman in a wheelchair walks with her sister on a wooden pier by the sea

New guide helps NSW businesses to increase accessible tourism

Destination NSW has created a new resource through its NSW…

Young woman in wheelchair with service dog at home Young woman in wheelchair with service dog at home

Research into specialist disability housing

The study, led by Emeritus Professor Jacinta Douglas, will investigate…