Accessibility Statement

Introduction

This accessibility statement applies to calmac.co.uk and corporate.calmac.co.uk.

This website is run by the Caledonian MacBrayne. It is designed to be used by as many people as possible. For example, that means you should be able to:

• Change colours, contrast levels, and fonts.
• Zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen.
• Navigate all of the website using just a keyboard.
• Navigate all of the website using speech recognition software.
• Listen to all of the website using a screen reader (using the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA, and VoiceOver).
• Access the website using a mobile device.

We’ve also made the website text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

Compliance status

CalMac Ferries Limited is committed to making this website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 that uses the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) define requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.

It defines three levels of conformance: Level A, Level AA, and Level AAA. CalMac Ferries Limited Consumer Website is partially conformant with WCAG 2.2 level AA. Partially conformant means that some parts of the content do not fully conform to the accessibility standard.

How accessible this website is

Despite our best efforts to ensure accessibility of CalMac Ferries Limited Consumer Website, there may be some limitations. Below is a description of known limitations and potential solutions. Please contact us if you observe an issue not listed below.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations - High Priority Issues:

• Elements inaccessible by keyboard: Some elements cannot be accessed using only the keyboard. We are working to ensure all functionality can be achieved using the keyboard.
• Content inaccessible by screen reader: Certain content is not accessible by screen readers. We are addressing these issues to improve screen reader compatibility.
• Missing form labels: Some form elements lack proper labels. We are updating our forms to include all necessary labels.
• Low/Missing focus highlighting: Some elements do not have sufficient focus indicators. We are enhancing focus visibility across the site.
• Unexpected change of context: Some elements cause unexpected changes in context when they receive focus. We are working to ensure a consistent user experience.
• Changes in content not conveyed to assistive technology: Dynamic content changes are not always communicated to assistive technologies. We are implementing solutions to ensure all users are informed of content changes.
• Empty buttons and links: Some buttons and links lack descriptive text. We are adding appropriate labels to all interactive elements.
• Map accessibility: Interactive maps are not fully accessible. We are providing text alternatives and improving keyboard navigation for maps.
• Tab panel issues: Some tab panels are not correctly marked up for screen readers. We are updating the markup to ensure proper accessibility.
• Table headers: Some tables lack proper header markup. We are adding the necessary headers to improve accessibility.
• Informative images: Some images lack alternative text. We are adding descriptive alt text to all informative images.
• Visually hidden elements: Some hidden elements receive keyboard focus. We are ensuring that only visible elements receive focus.
• Non-descriptive page titles: Some page titles are not descriptive. We are updating titles to be more informative.
• Carousel issues: Carousel content and navigation states are not conveyed to assistive technology. We are improving carousel accessibility.
• Text spacing: Some text content is unresponsive to text spacing adjustments. We are ensuring all text is responsive.
• Form errors: Form errors are not conveyed to assistive technology. We are improving error messaging.
• Status messages: Status messages are not conveyed to assistive technology. We are ensuring all status messages are accessible.
• Content magnification: Some content is missing when magnified to 400%. We are ensuring all content is accessible at high magnification levels.

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations - Medium Priority Issues:

• Low text contrast: Some text does not have sufficient contrast with the background. We are adjusting colour to meet contrast requirements.
• Low graphics contrast: Some graphical elements do not have sufficient contrast. We are improving the contrast of these elements.
• Text links contrast: Some text links do not have sufficient contrast with surrounding text. We are enhancing link visibility.
• Selected state not announced: The currently selected state of some elements is not announced by screen readers. We are ensuring that selected states are properly conveyed.
• Missing autocomplete: Some form input fields lack the autocomplete attribute. We are adding autocomplete to relevant fields.
• Heading markup: Some elements that visually convey heading meaning do not match semantic heading markup. We are correcting the markup.
• Accordion labels: Some accordion components are not associated with their labels. We are ensuring proper association.
• Form error messages: Some form error messages do not help users correct their errors. We are improving the clarity of error messages.
• Autosuggest functionality: Autosuggest functionality is not exposed to keyboard and screen reader users. We are making autosuggest accessible.
• Illogical focus order: The focus order of some elements is illogical. We are ensuring a logical focus order.
• Ungrouped elements: Some related elements are not grouped. We are grouping related elements for better accessibility.
• Non-descriptive labels: Some labels are not descriptive. We are improving label descriptions.

PDFs and other documents

Some document formats such as PDF, MS Word and Excel may not be fully accessible. We plan to either fix these or replace them with accessible HTML pages.

Disproportionate burden

We are not claiming that any of our accessibility issues are disproportionate to fix.

Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDFs and Office file formats

The accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they are not essential to providing our services. Where documents are updated and new PDF documents published, they will meet accessibility standards.

Feedback and contact information

We're always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that aren't listed on this page or think we're not meeting the requirements of the accessibility regulations, contact:  

Transport Planning Team

CalMac Ferries Ltd, Ferry Terminal, Gourock, PA19 1QP

e-mail: transport.planning@calmac.co.uk

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Technical Specifications

Accessibility of CalMac Ferries Limited Consumer Website relies on the following technologies to work with the particular combination of web browser and any assistive technologies or plugins installed on your computer:

• HTML
• WAI-ARIA
• CSS
• JavaScript

Assessment Approach

CalMac Ferries Limited assessed the accessibility of CalMac Ferries Limited Consumer Website by the following approaches:

• Self-evaluation which includes scans with an automated testing tools.
• External evaluation by RNIB Enterprises Ltd

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 20 November 2024. It was last reviewed on 20 November 2024.

This website was last tested on 14 October 2024. The test was carried out by RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People).