Accessible Britain

On the site of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Queen Elizabeth
Olympic Park, which re-opened to the public in April 2014, is a triumph of regeneration,
fashioned out of four hundred acres of derelict, polluted wasteland. Visitors to the Park
can now enjoy beautiful green spaces, tranquil waterways, children’s play areas and cafés,
as well as top sporting venues, arts and events, and spectacular views from the 376 foothigh
ArcelorMittal Orbit sculpture and observation tower, which is re-opening as the
world’s tallest slide in spring 2016.
Located in Stratford, East London, the Park is spread over a large site, bisected from
north to south by the River Lea: the southern sector is home to the Stadium, London
Aquatics Centre and ArcelorMittal Orbit, while the northern part houses the Copper
Box Arena, Lee Valley VeloPark and Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. Many of the
former Olympic sporting venues – including the main Stadium, velodrome and London
Aquatics Centre – remain as permanent fixtures, to be used by sports clubs, athletes
and the local community. The Copper Box Arena, for example, is now London’s thirdlargest
arena and can seat up to 7500 people for events such as Premiership basketball,
pop concerts and comedy, while the Stadium has hosted major sports including the
Rugby World Cup in 2015, and will be home to West Ham football team from 2016.
The Aquatics Centre will host events and galas as well as public swimming sessions,
while the velodrome at Lee Valley VeloPark can seat 6000 to watch major cycling
competitions. After the Olympics, the VeloPark was remodelled to make it accessible
to riders of all abilities – the BMX track boasts a starter ramp the height of a doubledecker
bus and a 360-metre course, and there are also five miles of mountain bike
trails, all of which are open to the public. Disabled parking is available at the VeloPark
and there is disabled seating in the velodrome, and the track and road circuit will run
disability cycling programmes: check the website (www.visitleevalley.org.uk/velopark)
for details of these.
Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre has four indoor and six outdoor tennis courts,
as well as two of the best hockey pitches in the country. It hosted the Paralympic
wheelchair tennis in 2012 and is set to host a number of prestigious events in the future,
including the Women’s Hockey World Cup in 2018. All the doors within the centre,
including the step-free main entrance, are extra wide and designed for wheelchair
access with changing rooms, toilets and showers all specially designed for accessibility.
A fully accessible lift also provides access to the upstairs clubhouse and viewing area.
Served by Stratford and Stratford International stations, the Park is easy to get to from
all over London, with nine overground and tube links, all of which are accessible. If you
prefer to drive, there are spaces for Blue Badge holders throughout the Park as well as
spaces at the vast Westfield shopping centre, next to Stratford International Station.
Continuing the legacy of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, the Park has been
designed from scratch to be totally inclusive and with the highest standards of accessibility
for visitors and employees. All around the Park you’ll find good step-free access and
hard-standing surfaces, accessible Blue Badge parking close to each individual venue and
excellent accessible facilities.
A mobility service is operational on selected days of the week to help disabled and
older visitors get around, along with facilities to support people with a visual impairment.
This needs to be booked in advance via the Park’s website. The venues themselves have
been specially designed for wheelchair users and non-disabled companions to get unobstructed
views as well as having seating that is easy to get to for disabled and older people.
LONDON
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