We are in the early stages of this work and will be seeking your input again when we go out for consultation on the draft Accessibility Action Plan.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our survey. The results are available in the Accessibility Action Plan early engagement survey report below.
On this page we’ll provide a summary of what we heard and the next steps in the development of the Wellington Accessibility Action Plan.
What the Accessibility Action Plan is
The action plan is Wellington City Council’s commitment to accessibility through strategic and operational, internal and external actions.
Previously, this has been a three-year action plan but, it will move to a five-year plan and be reviewed halfway through. Moving to this timeframe means our work aligns with the required reporting on our Accessibility Charter.
The plan is underpinned by the NZ Disability Strategy and Action Plan and the UN Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These two documents will also guide the new action plan.
Where we’ve come from – what we’ve done
The current Accessible Wellington Action Plan will be expiring at the end of this year. Over the past three years, we have been hard at work implementing some of the actions, but there is a lot more to do. Here is a snapshot of the mahi we have completed so far:
- implemented a new mobility parking policy, which means when installing new mobility parks, we follow design and location guidelines to ensure that mobility parks are safe and accessible to be used by all mobility park users
- hired a full-time Accessibility Advisor who is ensuring accessibility is at the forefront of Council staff minds
- included accessibility criteria to guide funding decisions for both our Arts & Culture and Social & Recreation funds
- installed a hearing loop in our Council Chambers at 113 The Terrace and our Democracy Services staff have had training on how to use it
- continue to ensure that Council’s and affiliated websites are compliant with the NZ web accessibility and usability standards.
Where we’re at – what we’re doing now
Here’s what we are doing this year:
- working towards signing up to the Ministry of Social Development’s Accessibility Charter. The Charter will be adapted to align with Wellington City Council’s responsibilities and values. Our Accessibility Charter will be the strategic guide for all the Council’s accessibility-related decisions and actions, including our Action Plan.
- rolling out an accessibility audit across the city to identify areas of our infrastructure that need improvements
- rolling out cycleways across the city, to ensure that cycling can be safe and accessible to more Wellingtonians
- continuing to upgrade existing mobility parks to meet our new improved standards
- upgrading Garrett Street and Swan Lane to increase the accessibility of the Cuba Street precinct
- reviewed the Footpath Management Policy and will replace it with the Trading and Events in Public Places Policy (TEPPP) from July this year. This policy ensures that unobstructed accessibility is maintained for any activity in public places.
Timeframe of the new Accessibility Action Plan
- Early engagement survey April-May 2022
- Data shared from survey data collection late 2022
- Draft Action Plan out for consultation early 2023
- Complete Action Plan presented to Council for sign off in 2023.
Existing plan
The current Accessible Wellington Action Plan was adopted in 2019 - view it below (all documents open in a new window).
Accessibility Action Plan early engagement survey report
The results of the early engagement survey conducted in April-May 2022 are available in the report below.