Edinburgh Wire is committed to making its website accessible to all users, regardless of ability or technology. We aim to meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA standards and comply with our obligations under the Equality Act 2010, treating accessibility as an ongoing practice rather than a one‑off fix.
What accessibility standards does Edinburgh Wire follow?
We follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA as our conformance target, as recommended by the Equality and Human Rights Commission for UK digital publishers. This commitment is part of our broader duty under the Equality Act 2010 to ensure reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities.
Our editorial and technical teams work together to test the site against WCAG 2.2 success criteria, including perceptibility, operability, understandability and robustness. We review the guidelines quarterly and update our development practices to reflect new requirements. The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s guidance on making websites accessible has informed our internal checklist.
How do we ensure keyboard navigation and focus visibility?
All interactive elements on edinburghwire.co.uk — including links, buttons, forms and navigation menus — are operable using only a keyboard. We provide visible focus indicators so users can track their position as they tab through the page.
Focus styles are designed with high contrast (a thick, colourful outline) and never removed via CSS unless a custom, equally visible alternative is in place. We test keyboard navigation manually with every release and use automated tools to catch regressions. Users who encounter a focus issue can report it directly to our accessibility team.
What about contrast, text size, and reduced motion?
We use colour combinations that meet WCAG 2.2 Level AA contrast ratios for normal and large text. The site is designed to be readable without relying on colour alone, and all text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality.
We respect the prefers-reduced-motion operating system setting and disable unnecessary animations, parallax effects and auto‑playing elements when this preference is detected. Static alternatives are provided for any information conveyed through motion. Users can also adjust their browser’s font‑size and zoom settings freely; our layout remains responsive at all common sizes.
What are the known limitations?
Some third‑party embedded content — such as social‑media feeds, interactive maps or video players — may not fully meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards. We cannot control the accessibility of these external services, but we select providers who demonstrate a commitment to inclusive design and we label any such content clearly.
Older articles published before our current accessibility programme may contain images without detailed alt text or tables that are less screen‑reader friendly. We are systematically retrofitting legacy content as part of our improvement plan. Where a limitation cannot be resolved promptly, we offer alternative formats on request.
What you can expect from us
We treat accessibility as a core editorial and technical responsibility, not an afterthought. Our Standards & Fact‑Checking Lead, Diane Forbes, oversees regular audits and integrates user feedback into our workflow.
Every new feature, template or design change is reviewed against WCAG 2.2 AA before publication. We provide training for staff on accessible content creation, including descriptive link text, proper heading hierarchy and simple language. Our Editorial Policy sets out our broader commitment to inclusive journalism. We will publish an annual accessibility progress update on this page.
How can I request content in an alternative format?
If any part of the site is not accessible to you, we will provide the information in a format that works for your needs — for example, plain text, large print, braille‑ready file or audio recording.
Please email accessibility@edinburghwire.co.uk with the URL of the content and the format you require. We aim to respond within two working days and deliver the alternative within five working days. You can also use our Contact page to submit a request. All requests are handled confidentially and without charge.
Questions or concerns?
We welcome your feedback. If you have encountered a barrier to using edinburghwire.co.uk, or if you have suggestions for how we can improve, please contact our accessibility team at accessibility@edinburghwire.co.uk or use the Contact page.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you can follow our Complaints Procedure or refer the matter to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Our Editorial Policy explains the standards that govern all content we publish. We treat every concern seriously and will act on it promptly.