The Houses of Parliament, one of the UK’s most prestigious and historically significant institutions, regularly hosts high-profile events in outdoor marquees on their grounds. As the seat of British democracy and a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Parliament estate must maintain the highest standards of safety and accessibility whilst preserving the integrity of its historic environment. The venue’s commitment to inclusivity and public safety makes it essential that all visitors, regardless of mobility requirements, can access events safely and with dignity.
The Parliament’s event management team encountered several critical accessibility and safety challenges when setting up marquees for outdoor functions:
Uneven Ground Conditions: The historic Parliament estate presented naturally uneven terrain outside event marquees, creating unstable walking surfaces that posed risks for all attendees, particularly those with mobility aids or visual impairments.
Varying Ground Levels: Significant height differences across the marquee perimeter made it difficult to create consistent, safe access points. These level variations meant that standard solutions wouldn’t provide adequate coverage for all entrance points.
Dangerous Step Heights: The most pressing concern was the varying heights of steps leading out of the marquees. These inconsistent step dimensions created a significant trip and fall hazard, particularly problematic given the high-profile nature of parliamentary events where attendees might include elderly dignitaries, guests with mobility challenges, and members of the public.
Regulatory Compliance Requirements: As a public institution, the Houses of Parliament needed to ensure full compliance with accessibility regulations whilst also maintaining clear fire escape routes that could accommodate emergency evacuation procedures.
These challenges not only posed safety risks but also threatened the Parliament’s commitment to inclusive access for all visitors to their events.
RampCo approached this complex challenge with a comprehensive, bespoke platform solution designed specifically for the Parliament’s unique requirements:
Custom Platform Design: Rather than attempting to address each elevation change individually, RampCo engineered a unified platform system that created a consistent, level surface across all marquee entrances. This approach eliminated the root cause of the accessibility issues whilst providing a cohesive solution.
Integrated Ramp System: The platform incorporated ramps at both ends, ensuring smooth transitions from ground level to the platform and from the platform to marquee entrances. This design eliminated the dangerous step variations that had created trip hazards.
Comprehensive Safety Features: The solution included robust handrails along the entire platform length, providing essential support for users with mobility challenges and additional safety assurance for all attendees.
Regulatory Compliance: The platform was designed with extra width to exceed standard requirements for wheelchair accessibility. This generous sizing also ensured compliance with fire escape route regulations, allowing for safe emergency evacuation when necessary.
Robust Construction: Understanding the high-profile nature of parliamentary events, RampCo utilised durable materials and construction methods to ensure the platform could withstand regular use whilst maintaining its professional appearance.
RampCo successfully delivered a comprehensive access solution that transformed the safety and accessibility of the Parliament’s outdoor events:
Complete Hazard Elimination: The bespoke platform system completely eliminated the trip and fall hazards that had previously posed significant risks to event attendees. The consistent, level surface removed all dangerous height variations and created safe, predictable access routes.
Full Accessibility Compliance: The extra-wide design ensured complete wheelchair accessibility, allowing users of mobility aids to navigate confidently between all marquee entrances. The integrated handrails provided additional support and confidence for users with varying mobility needs.
Enhanced Safety Infrastructure: The robust platform construction with professional-grade handrails and ramps at both ends created a comprehensive safety infrastructure that gave event organisers complete confidence in their accessibility provisions.
Regulatory Adherence: The solution exceeded all requirements for both accessibility standards and fire escape route regulations, ensuring the Parliament could host events with complete regulatory compliance and peace of mind.
Improved Event Experience: By removing accessibility barriers and safety concerns, the platform solution allowed all attendees to focus on the events themselves rather than navigating hazardous terrain, significantly enhancing the overall experience for guests.
