The government has laid new regulations which are designed to ensure that thousands more businesses and services will be opened up to disabled people.

Under the new regulations service providers such as shops, restaurants, hairdressers, banks, local authorities and government departments will have to make reasonable adjustments to overcome physical barriers that continue to make access to their services impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled people from October 2004.

Minister for disabled people, Maria Eagle, said that too many people had been unnecessarily excluded from too many services for too long. "This government believes in an inclusive society where everyone has the right to participate fully," she said.

Forum Response: Disability Rights Commission

Bert Massie, chairman of the Disability Rights Commission, told ePolitix.com: "There are 8.5 million disabled people in the UK who are often excluded from participating in society because of the lack of access. A visit to the doctor or dentist, the shops, pubs or leisure facilities can be fraught with difficulty and, for some, impossible."

"These new rights will not only mean that disabled people can enjoy many of the freedoms and independence that non-disabled people take for granted, they will have a positive benefit for all - for older people, the parent with the pushchair to someone carrying heavy shopping. The DRC is here to offer help and advice for businesses and service providers so that they are ready for 2004."

Forum Response: Royal National Institute for the Blind

A spokesman for the RNIB told ePolitix.com: "The new duties on service providers to remove or change physical barriers to full access for visually impaired and other disabled people from 2004 are a vital further step towards full civil rights."

"The new duties will mean shops, banks and hospitals making changes to the physical features of their premises, including access to them, for the benefit of visually impaired people, by for example providing appropriate contrast in décor and clear signage to help people get around safely and independently; or providing tactile buttons in lifts."

"Highway authorities too will be under a duty to make the pedestrian environment more accessible - a key issue affecting the safe and independent mobility of visually impaired people and their access to a wide range of services."

"While 2004 may be a long time to wait for these new rights, there is a clear onus on service providers to start making the necessary changes now since in considering whether or not a service provider has taken reasonable steps to comply with its duties after October 1, 2004, a court might take into account the time that the service provider has had prior to that date to make preparations."

"RNIB hopes the revised code of practice explaining these duties will be out soon so that service providers who have not yet addressed these issues can do so in good time. Between now and 2004 the RNIB would like to see other provisions brought into force to strengthen disabled people's civil rights. We want rights made more accessible by, for example, ensuring disabled people can bring all claims of disability discrimination to tribunals. The complexity and cost of the court system remains a significant barrier to disabled people enforcing their rights."

"We also back the Disability Rights Commission's calls for a new disability law to be included in next year's Queen's speech to bring all employers under the DDA, fill in the many gaps - and amend the many weaknesses - of the current legislation and introduce positive duties on public services to promote equality for disabled people."

Royal National Institute for Deaf People

A spokeswoman for the RNID told ePolitix.com: "We welcome these regulations which will mean more deaf and hard of hearing people can access regular services in the same way that hearing people enjoy. Sensible planning now can ensure significant improvements are made in accessibility for disabled people, often at little cost."

Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

A spokesman for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association told ePolitix.com: "We are delighted with any piece of legislation or initiative which enhances opportunities for people with disabilities. The charity has just run a large campaign to encourage pubs and restaurants to accept guide dogs with their visually impaired owners and we wholeheartedly support any initiative which further improves access and opportunity for blind and partially sighted people."