People With Disabilities

From the outset the Aviva Stadium has been designed to ensure that people with disabilities are well looked after. People with reduced mobility, including those in wheelchairs, people with hearing difficulties and people with sight problems have all been taken into consideration. The guiding principle for the stadium is that spectators with disabilities are accommodated through the stadium at all levels.

To ensure that people with mobility difficulties can access the stadium with ease there is excellent access to all floors via a series of lifts.

In the lower and top tier seating areas there are viewing positions for wheelchair users in all areas. In the majority of cases the spaces are at the rear of the viewing area and raised so that even if a spectator in front stands up to celebrate that the wheelchair user can still see the pitch. In the smaller North stand the wheelchair spaces are at the front of the tier. At the premium level there are wheelchair viewing spaces on both the East and West sides again at the rear of the tier and again with raised viewing. On the box level wheelchair users can be accommodated in every box where they can sit in the rear row of the box tier.

On all the concourses the bars and food counters have a lowered section so that people in wheelchairs can be served. There are also accessible toilets close to the viewing positions. Emergency exit for people with mobility difficulties is by evacuation lifts, many of the same lifts that they will have entered by. These are designed to allow all wheelchair users and their helpers to leave the stadium building safely.

For the aid of hearing impaired and visually impaired visitors to the stadium a combination of hearing induction loops and RF radio transmitter systems are incorporated enhancing audible communications throughout the stadium, including the seating bowl, restaurants, bars, kiosks and conference rooms.

Also, for people with sight problems, access routes to the stadium and where appropriate inside the stadium, will have tactile flooring to warn of the presence of the top or bottom of a flight of stairs. When inside the building it is intended that people with sight problems should move around with other spectators and then sit anywhere within the tiers. Headphones will be available from the stadium management. These will pick up a radio signal transmitted within the stadium so that people sitting in the seating tiers can hear a commentary of the match.

All signs in the stadium are being designed to be clear for people with poor sight. There is also a public address system throughout the building and the site to give emergency and other messages to everyone present.