On My Travels - Carrum Downs Plaza |
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On a trip down to Frankston I passed the above shopping centre that opened early June 2008. The following is a quick review of some of the access issues I identified.
Carpark falls up to 1:26.3 (max allowed 1:33). Insufficient contrast of TGSIs (Tactile Ground Surface Indicators) |
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The design of the accessible parking was good in theory however poorly executed.
The fact there are no kerbs makes access excellent. However the fall to the carpark is well above the minimum of 1:33.
Poor TGSI contrast. |
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TGSIs have been installed at a gradient of 1:7. At the very least these should be at 1:8, however it is hard to comment on this as the standards do not provide directions for such an installation.
Again as above this set of parking spaces have a fall well in excess of the Australian Standards of 1:33, these measure up to 1:19.2.
Therefore I consider the "Accessible Path of Travel" from the footpath to be potentially dangerous.
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The path has a crossfall of up to 1:17.5, AS1428.1 part 5.6 nominates "The camber and cross fall of ramps and walkways shall not exceed 1:40 (see Figure 5)". |
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TGSIs have insufficient contrast.
TGSIs have not been installed to the full width of the kerb ramp.
TGSIs opposite are not orientated perpendicular to the crossing, this could potentially cause a person with vision impairment to miss the opposite kerb ramp whilst crossing the road. |
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Path has a fall of 1:16 leading onto a Kerb Ramp with a gradient of 1:6.6.
The maximum path gradient is 1:20. A landing (flat section) should be provided between the path and the kerb ramp of 1.2M.
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In addition to the issues identified immediately above the TGSIs have not been installed to the full width and they have insufficient contrast.
Kerb ramps have not been been constructed opposite each other. |
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Access path from the street frontage has a gradient of 1:14.2 and a crossfall of up to 1:7.5
AS1428.1 nominates a path with a gradient between 1:14 - 1:20 is a ramp. A ramp requires complying handrails/balustrades, Tactile Ground Surface Indicators all of which have not been installed.
The crossfall of 1:7.5 is well in excess of the maximum outlined in AS1428.1 part 5.6 which nominates "The camber and cross fall of ramps and walkways shall not exceed 1 in 40 (see Figure 5)" |
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Signs to toilet doors have been installed incorrectly. BCA Specification D3.6 "Braille & Tactile Signs" details comprehensively how signs should be installed. Typical mistakes are as follows.
- Installed at the incorrect height.
- Installed on the door instead of on the wall on the latch side of the door with the leading edge of the sign
- Insufficient luminance-contrast as defined in AS 1428.1
Don't make the assumption every person with a disability will use the accessible toilet. A person with a vision impairment or other disability may very well use the male or female facility. This is why the identification signage needs to be as outlined in the BCA and standards. |
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