Labour candidates Naz Sarkar and Anneliese Dodds responded very quickly when the Scope charity approached them, and presumably other parties' candidates, to make sure that polling stations are accessible to people with disabilities.
Naz says: "While SCOPE say that at the 2005 General Election, 68% of polling stations across the country had one or more serious access barriers that could prevent a disabled voter from voting independently, I was delighted, though not surprised, to find that in Reading only one polling station - at Geoffrey Field Infants - presents any problem. The door there is not large enough to take a motorised wheel-chair, but if that ever became an issue for anybody, the presiding officer would happily take a ballot paper to them outside."
Anneliese adds: "If nationally in 2005 68% of polling stations had a problem, it's good that in Reading in 2010 only one polling station will have a problem. That means just 7%, which is a real sign of Labour's commitment to the disabled here in Reading.
"We will I am sure try to get to 100% accessibility - and in the meantime of course ensure that any interim arrangements preserve the privacy of the ballot for everyone".
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