Direct Access Group

Direct Access Group Improving Access for Everybody. Direct Access has steadily become a global force in the accessibility and inclusion field since its inception in 2004.

Established in 2004, Direct Access is a DOBE (team of disabled people) operating out of the United Kingdom, U.S., and Middle East providing design consultancy, access audits, accessible products, and inclusive media. A DOBE® certified Disability Owned and Operated Business Enterprise, we provide accessibility consultancy based on our team's real lived experience of disability. Delivering architectural projects in the UK, United States, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Oman, Ireland, France, and Switzerland, we deliver reliable and informed consultancy based on the common practices and philosophies of our host nation - dedicating ourselves to our clients on all levels from strategy, benchmarking, guidance writing, access appraising architectural designs as well as accessibility audits for already established sites. https://directaccessgp.com/uk/

In conversations about the future of the UK’s railways, one critical issue is still too often sidelined: meaningful acce...
20/02/2026

In conversations about the future of the UK’s railways, one critical issue is still too often sidelined: meaningful accessibility for disabled passengers.

With 14.6 million disabled people in the UK ( around one in five of us) accessible rail travel is not a niche consideration. It is a commercial opportunity.

Inclusive rail design improves customer experience, builds trust, increases ridership, and drives socio-economic value across local economies.

At Direct Access, we’ve seen this first-hand through our work with rail operators including TransPennine and Avanti West Coast. By embedding accessibility across stations, services, and digital platforms, operators don’t just support disabled passengers, they create better journeys for families, older travellers, tourists, and everyday commuters.

And yet, systemic barriers remain:
• Inconsistent step-free access
• Unreliable boarding support
• Inaccessible ticketing systems
• Services designed without disabled voices at the table

The shift toward inclusive, Equality Act-aligned transport isn’t simply about compliance. It’s about growth, resilience, and long-term customer loyalty.

Our latest blog explores the financial and social case for accessible rail networks and why designing with disabled passengers in mind benefits everyone, including operators themselves.

Read the full blog here: https://directaccessgp.com/uk/news/the-financial-and-social-case-for-accessible-inclusive-rail-networks/

18/02/2026

Mary from Horniman Museum and Gardens shares how they tackled accessibility barriers within their Nature & Love project, ensuring disabled staff and visitors could fully engage with the experience 🌿

Working with Direct Access the team:
• Identified physical and communication barriers
• Reviewed inclusive design across interpretation and programming
• Strengthened staff confidence through practical guidance
• Embedded long-term accessibility improvements, not just quick fixes

The result?

A more inclusive visitor experience, improved accessibility for disabled learners and staff, and a team better equipped to deliver accessible cultural programming going forward. Proof that inclusion isn’t extra… it’s essential!

Neurodiverse employees bring creativity, unique problem-solving skills, and fresh perspectives that drive innovation and...
16/02/2026

Neurodiverse employees bring creativity, unique problem-solving skills, and fresh perspectives that drive innovation and growth. Yet many workplaces unintentionally create barriers that prevent these employees from reaching their true potential through inaccessible work environments, communication channels, and traditional working structures.

We want to draw attention to small, intentional changes, like workplace needs assessments, inclusive training, and neurodiversity-friendly design that can make a profound difference.

Most, if not all, people, employees, and customers alike, will benefit directly from the adjustments in this carousel. Accessibility isn’t just a nice-to-have, it represents a strategic advantage over your competitors. Inclusive environments strengthen your brand, enhance customer experiences, and drive loyalty, positively impacting revenue and long-term business growth.

1. Workplace Assessments

Identifies hidden barriers in workflow, communication, or the physical environment, enabling tailored adjustments to help neurodiverse staff perform at their best.

2. Quiet & Sensory Rooms

Provides a safe retreat to manage sensory overload, regulate emotions, or take restorative breaks, improving focus and productivity.

3. Adjustable Lighting

Reduces sensory overload caused by harsh or flickering lights, helping focus, reducing anxiety, and improving overall well-being.

4. Height-Adjustable Workstations

Accommodate sensory sensitivities, focus needs, and physical comfort. Supports concentration and reduces fatigue.

5. Biophilic Design

Exposure to natural elements like plants, sunlight, or water features reduces stress, boosts mood, and improves cognitive function.

6. Snacks & Refreshments

Enhances comfort and hospitality, showing consideration for different preferences or sensitivities, and promoting positive experiences. Supports focus, energy, and well-being.


Roses are redMuseums are coolVictoria and Albert Museum is makingInclusion the rule 💚Extremely proud to support their ne...
14/02/2026

Roses are red
Museums are cool
Victoria and Albert Museum is making
Inclusion the rule 💚

Extremely proud to support their new Storehouse in creating experiences that more people can enjoy!

We love working with organisations that put inclusion first 💚This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating partnerships that m...
14/02/2026

We love working with organisations that put inclusion first 💚

This Valentine’s Day, we’re celebrating partnerships that make culture, nature, and heritage more accessible for everyone.
Proud to support Horniman Museum and Gardens on their journey towards greater inclusion.

Accessibility is about people, and that’s something worth loving.

Expect big things from Horniman in 2027!

Love shows up in so many beautiful ways. It lives in our relationships with partners, family, and friends. It grows thro...
14/02/2026

Love shows up in so many beautiful ways. It lives in our relationships with partners, family, and friends. It grows through community, kindness, understanding, and the everyday moments where we choose to care for one another.
This Valentine’s Day, we’re also celebrating a powerful form of love that is sometimes overlooked, the love expressed through creating spaces where everyone feels welcome, valued, and included. When we design environments, services, and experiences that consider different needs and abilities, we show love to everyone, not just to individuals.
This Valentine’s Day, let’s celebrate all forms of love, especially the kind that makes the world brighter, kinder, and more accessible for everyone. ❤️

This Low Vision Awareness Month, it’s a timely reminder that over 2.2 billion people worldwide live with some form of vi...
12/02/2026

This Low Vision Awareness Month, it’s a timely reminder that over 2.2 billion people worldwide live with some form of visual impairment, yet many still encounter avoidable barriers when navigating digital and physical spaces.

Accessibility is no longer just a legal or ethical obligation, it’s a strategic investment that drives performance, trust, and long-term growth. It's good both for people, and for business.

Accessible signage, Braille, large print, and Easy Read materials, for instance, enable sight-impaired customers independent access to information, reducing reliance on staff assistance. Organisations that follow accessibility standards, like BS 8300, send a clear signal of foresight, professionalism, and commitment to customer experience, regardless of their abilities.

Innovative solutions like Direct Access’s Tactile Map Boards, designed by our own team which includes individuals with sight-impairments, demonstrate just how accessibility can create both social and commercial value.

The takeaway: inclusive design is not just compliance, it’s a growth strategy.

Read more over on our blog; https://directaccessgp.com/uk/news/the-business-case-for-accessibility-in-a-visually-diverse-world/

In rapidly diversifying MENA economies, many of which have committed to Vision 2030 initiatives, inclusion is directly s...
11/02/2026

In rapidly diversifying MENA economies, many of which have committed to Vision 2030 initiatives, inclusion is directly supporting the economic transformation goals.

There are very specific reasons Direct Access has experienced success in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which Gulf Construction has kindly mentioned in this below article!

One of these is that MENA cities are expanding rapidly, with major investments in public housing, transportation networks, and Smart Cities. Beyond being the right thing to do for the local and international population of disabled citizens, architects and business managers recognise that it is far cheaper and more efficient to design accessible infrastructure from the start than to retrofit later. Rather than replicating building practices in other territories, MENA economies are innovating.

Having worked closely with designers and architects on numerous build projects, such as Qiddiya City, the Diriyah Gate development, Al Shindagha Museum, and Luxury Collection Hotels, the success of Gulf construction projects is proving that embedding accessibility at the planning stage (and not treating it as an afterthought), improves the overall quality, usability, and value of properties.

The growing recognition of the “Purple Pound” (which is the estimated $18 trillion in global annual disposable income controlled by people with disabilities), has become an important driver of accessibility in the built environment, and MENA cities are increasingly aware of its economic significance. As the region seeks to position itself as a global hub for tourism, investment, and talent, inclusive design is no longer viewed solely as a social responsibility, but as a key marker of convenience and luxury.

Read the full article here: https://gulfconstructiononline.com/Article/388465/Why_disability_inclusion_is_a_must_in_the_MENA_built_environment

One of our team members recently experienced repeated accessibility barriers when using DPD UK 's courier services.As a ...
04/02/2026

One of our team members recently experienced repeated accessibility barriers when using DPD UK 's courier services.

As a severely sight-impaired person in a role that relies on smooth, reliable interactions with delivery providers, he has written an open letter outlining the challenges he faced, including an inaccessible online chat system, limited contact options, and the absence of a clear route for providing accessibility feedback.

Courier services are essential for many people. When digital systems are not accessible, they can prevent blind and sight-impaired customers from resolving even straightforward issues independently.

We hope this letter reaches the right people and leads to meaningful, lasting improvements in accessibility at DPD. When accessibility is actively considered, you increase the chance of attracting new customers and reduce the risk of losing your existing ones. It's a win-win situation.

You can also read the letter by following this link:
https://directaccessgp.com/uk/news/an-open-letter-from-a-severely-sight-impaired-customer-to-dpd/

A pleasure to have Sarah and the team from the Department for Work and Pensions to our office for a video shoot about ou...
03/02/2026

A pleasure to have Sarah and the team from the Department for Work and Pensions to our office for a video shoot about our experiences as disabled people in the workforce!

Craig, Keir, Josh, Michael, and Steven shared honestly about lived experiences as disabled people in the workplace, talking honestly about access, barriers, and what meaningful inclusion really looks like in practice.

Callie also joined the interviews, listened very carefully, and then chose to exercise her right to remain silent. 🐶

29/01/2026

The recent BBC News article about Abdul Eneser, a blind student who fell onto the tracks at Manchester Piccadilly station after no Passenger Assist staff were there to meet him, is deeply troubling but crucially was avoidable.

Abdul had pre-booked assistance. Yet after midnight, with no staff present and no tactile paving to warn of the platform edge, he was left to navigate an unreadable environment alone and just barely avoiding a passing freight train.

When accessibility features like tactile paving are missing or poorly maintained, environments become unreadable, increasing risk, disruption, liability, and loss of public trust.

Organisations that embed accessibility into ongoing management and maintenance don’t just protect people, they

• reduce safety incidents and legal exposure
• improve customer confidence and loyalty
• protect brand reputation
• create environments that work better for everyone

Check out Roger's thoughts on the BBC article and the incident.

BRAILLE LITERACY MONTHTrue accessibility is both a social responsibility and a strategic investment. Providing braille a...
28/01/2026

BRAILLE LITERACY MONTH

True accessibility is both a social responsibility and a strategic investment. Providing braille and other accessible formats such as large print and Easy Read is not simply about compliance, it is about enabling independence, strengthening engagement, and creating environments where people can participate with confidence and dignity.

Organisations that embed accessible communication benefit from broader reach, improved customer and staff experience, reduced risk, and stronger brand trust. From education and transport to heritage, hospitality, and the workplace, accessible materials support informed decision-making, increase inclusion, and demonstrate that accessibility has been considered properly from the outset.

In our latest blog, we challenge outdated assumptions about braille and explore the tangible social and financial value of accessible formats. When accessibility is done well, it protects organisations, supports communities, and delivers long-term value for everyone.

https://directaccessgp.com/uk/news/why-braille-still-matters-and-why-you-cant-afford-to-ignore-it/

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Direct Access Group

Direct Access Consultancy (www.accessaudits.com)

Direct Access Consultancy advises organisations on how to improve physical access for disabled people. This is achieved through Access Appraisals working with architectural and construction firms to ensure accessibility is designed into new builds at the outset. Access Audits look at established buildings and services to make recommendations on accessibility. Both services draw on local disability legislation and building codes in the country of operation.

For over fifteen years we have worked on large scale, high profile events, construction, real estate and infrastructure projects. We go beyond just quoting regulations to providing a fully integrated service that takes into account different dynamics and aspirations of projects we work with - understanding, identifying and overcoming the barriers that impede change.

Direct Access Store (www.directaccess.store)