Accessing council services

We are committed to ensuring that everyone has equal access to the services and information we provide.

Wheelchair Lift

Access Officer

Our Access Officer is available to give advice on a range of access issues for disabled people within the City. See contact details to the right of this page.

BT TextDirect

TextDirect (formally known as Typetalk is a service provided by BT in conjunction with the RNID for people who are deaf, hard of hearing or who have speech difficulties.  It allows people with a text phone to communicate with hearing people and vice versa. The council is committed to ensuring that all its customers and employees are treated equally regardless of disability.

To use BT TextDirect you just dial the correct BT TextDirect access code from the list below followed by the number of the person you want to call. Where the call is being made between people using an ordinary voice phone and a textphone, a RNID Typetalk operator will automatically join the call and translate typed words to voice and spoken words to text.

If you use a textphone and want to call someone who uses either a textphone or an ordinary voice phone, simply dial 18001 followed by the number of the person you want to call (remember to include the dialling code).

If you use an ordinary voice phone and you want to call someone using a textphone, simply dial 18002 followed by the number of the person you want to call (remember to include the dialling code).

If you use a textphone and you need to call the emergency services (police, fire, ambulance or coast guard) just dial 18000. They then dial the number required and makes the connection. The operator then reads the message typed by the caller to the recipient and types the recipient's reply back to the caller's textphone.

The operator is not allowed under any circumstances to assist either party with the call. The service is completely confidential and the calls are not recorded. Calls are charged at normal BT rates and there are no additional charges for using the service.

To access the service the caller calls the British Telecom typetalk operator  on 0800 515152.

They then dial the number required and makes the connection. The operator then reads the message typed by the caller to the recipient and types the recipient's reply back to the caller's textphone.