London Rubbish Accessibility Statement

London Rubbish is committed to providing an accessible and usable experience for all people who use our services and visit our website. We want everyone in our accessible London Rubbish area, including disabled people and those using assistive technologies, to be able to find information and arrange rubbish collections and related services as independently as possible.

This accessibility statement explains the steps we take to meet recognised standards, the features we have implemented, and how you can contact us to report problems or request information in alternative formats.

Our accessibility commitment

We aim to make the London Rubbish website and digital services comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1, level AA. These guidelines describe how to make web content more accessible for people with a wide range of access needs, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning, and neurological differences.

Accessibility is an ongoing priority for London Rubbish. We regularly review the website, update content, and improve features to better serve people who rely on accessible rubbish and waste services across London.

Screen-reader support

The London Rubbish website is designed to work with common screen-readers and text-to-speech tools. We use clear headings, descriptive page titles, meaningful link text, and structured content to help people who navigate by listening rather than by sight.

Images that communicate important information include descriptive alternative text so that screen-readers can convey the same meaning. Decorative images are either avoided or marked so that they are skipped by assistive technology, reducing unnecessary noise for screen-reader users.

We aim to keep language plain and straightforward, using short sentences and clear labels to help users understand information about rubbish collections, bulky waste, and recycling services across London.

Keyboard navigation

The London Rubbish website is intended to be fully usable with a keyboard alone, without the need for a mouse or touch screen. Navigation menus, forms, and interactive controls are designed to receive keyboard focus in a logical order.

You should be able to use the tab key to move through links and controls, the enter key to activate selected items, and the spacebar or arrow keys where relevant to change options. Visible focus indicators show which element is currently selected, helping users keep track of their position on the page.

Where we use controls such as expandable sections or form components, we aim to ensure that they are operable by keyboard and announced clearly by assistive technology.

Text, colour and layout

We aim to use sufficient contrast between text and background colours so that content remains readable for people with low vision or colour vision deficiency. Text is normally left aligned and sized so that it can be enlarged using browser zoom tools without loss of content or functionality.

Content is organised using headings and paragraphs to make it easier to skim, search, and understand. We avoid relying on colour alone to convey meaning, which helps users who may not perceive certain colours.

Continuous improvement

We recognise that accessibility is a journey and not a one-time task. London Rubbish continues to test and review the website to identify and fix barriers, especially for people in our accessible London Rubbish area who may be using older devices, assistive technology, or slower connections.

When introducing new features or online forms, we consider accessibility requirements from the start and work towards meeting or exceeding WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

Contacting us about accessibility

If you experience any difficulty using the London Rubbish website or accessing information about our rubbish and waste services, we want to hear from you. Your feedback helps us prioritise improvements and remove barriers.

You can contact London Rubbish to:

Report an accessibility issue with the website.

Request information in a different format, such as large print, audio, or easy read.

Ask for help arranging accessible rubbish or bulky waste collections within our London service area.

To make an accessibility request or provide feedback, please contact our customer service team by phone or email using the details provided on our contact page. Please include a description of the problem you encountered and any assistive technology you are using, if you are comfortable sharing this. We will review your request and aim to respond promptly with a suitable solution or an explanation of any limitations.

This accessibility statement will be updated as we improve our services and as standards evolve. We are committed to making London Rubbish services as accessible and inclusive as possible for everyone in our community.