Not only does this apply to the waterways themselves, but also to how we provide information in the virtual world.
In developing our website, we aim to work to WCAG 2.1 AA standards as a minimum and, where possible, to WCAG 2.1 AAA.
This statement outlines the measures we have taken to develop, test and ensure the accessibility of our website, and the areas where we have limitations that we are working to resolve.
Browsers we support
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
- Google Chrome
- Firefox
Measures we have taken
Layout
We adopt best practice web design and techniques to. We are continuing to modify and improve this so that we can make the information available across a larger number of devices and platforms.
Content
Our content has been written and laid out on the page to enable it to be accessible. This includes writing easy-to-read copy, including meaningful text links, using lists with bullet points, pulling out quotes and keeping paragraphs short. However, some areas of the website are written with specific audiences in mind, so the terminology and descriptions used may be specific to that audience.
Images
On most occasions our images use alternative text to describe what is in the picture, except for when the image is used for purely decorative purposes.
Fonts
on mobile devices and 22 pixels on desktop computers. Text size can be increased in your browser, particularly using the zoom function, which is available in most browsers and accessibility tools. The font can also be changed using your browser settings.
Colour
Contrasting colours have been chosen and implemented into the design wherever possible to be accessible to people with colour-blindness and visual impairments. We have worked to a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for larger text.
Forms
We have designed our forms to be simple and easy to follow, particularly on mobile devices. The form fields are clearly labelled, and the forms are accessible to screen readers and other assistive technologies. Errors are clearly highlighted with a description of the required action.
Menus
The website menus have been designed to be clear and easy to navigate, with descriptive menu headings and links.
Interactive content
We have a small amount of content that is interactive, including animation. This has been designed carefully to ensure it is subtle and doesn’t block access to the content on the page. All animations can be turned off using your device settings.
Areas we’re working on
Whilst we are continually making improvements to the site, some areas have greater accessibility limitations. Below are some areas we are still making improvements on.
Downloadable documents
Most of our downloadable documents on the site are in a PDF format. To find a PDF reader we suggest you use search on Google or another search engine to find a suitable product.
Whilst many of the older PDF documents will not be fully accessible with screen readers and other assistive technologies, we have put steps in place to ensure that most new PDFs being added to the site have been produced in a more accessible format. This has included colleague training and guidance.
Rich media content
Most of the videos we produce have audio captions, but some older video content, and videos we host from other sources, may not do. We are also working towards being able to provide on-page transcripts for videos in future.
In some parts of the website, we display content from third parties, where we have less control over the accessibility. this third-party content is displayed in our site.
Accessibility testing
When developing new website features, we conduct our own accessibility testing, using a combination of different browsers, assistive technologies, and developer tools.
We also work with groups and individuals to give us direct feedback from their own testing and experience, for example, the Disabled Boater Forum and groups of volunteers.
Reviewing our website accessibility
We are committed to reviewing the accessibility of our website on a regular basis, and updating this statement as we make any changes. Feedback
We welcome any comments and suggestions about the accessibility of our website - please get in touch via our online form Please also let us know if you experience any difficulties or would like assistance.
Useful resources
You may find the following links useful:
