Accessibility statement for MappingGM

This website is managed by Greater Manchester Combined Authority and built using Umbraco and ESRI's ArcGIS Online solution. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. 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 most of the website using just a keyboard
• navigate most of the website using speech recognition software
• listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

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.

 

How accessible this website is

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:

• some of our pages are interactive maps, which a screen reader will not be able to navigate
• the text will not reflow in a single column when you change the size of the browser window
• you cannot modify the line height or spacing of text
• you cannot skip to the main content when using a screen reader
• certain text on our page may negatively impact the navigation experience for screen reader users
• some text on our page has low contrast, which can make it difficult or even impossible for many users to read

We are working to resolve these issues as best as we can and will update this Accessibility Statement when we have done so.

 

What to do if you cannot access parts of this website

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille:

• email mapping@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk
• write to us at: MappingGM, Research team, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Tootal Buildings, 56 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EU

We’ll consider your request and get back to you in 28 days.

If you cannot view the map on our contact us page, email us at mapping@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk for directions.

 

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact the GMCA research team at mapping@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk, or submit a complaint here. By clicking this link, you will be redirected from the MappingGM website to the official GMCA website.

 

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).

 

Contacting us by phone or visiting us in person

We provide a text relay service for people who are D/deaf, hearing impaired or have a speech impediment. To access this call 18002 0161 778 7000. If there is a specific number you wish to call add the prefix of 18002 to enable Text Relay.

Our offices have audio induction loops, or if you contact us before your visit we can arrange a British Sign Language (BSL) interpreter.

Find out how to contact us at on our contact us page.

 

Technical information about this website’s accessibility

Greater Manchester Combined Authority is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.

 

Non accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Our website is newly created, and we have completed a review of the pages. We have identified the following accessibility issues on our website, which we are planning to address:

• Some background and foreground color combinations do not meet the minimum contrast ratio requirements, which may make text difficult or impossible to read for many users, including those with visual impairments.
• Some links lack descriptive text, which can negatively affect navigation for screen reader users and impact overall accessibility.
• Heading elements are not consistently arranged in a sequentially-descending order, which can disrupt the logical flow and structure for users relying on assistive technologies.

Note: We are currently developing a plan to address these issues and make our content accessible to all users. This section and our accessibility statement will be updated once improvements have been implemented

 

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

 

Web maps

Many of our webpages include, or are wholly interactive maps. Maps are exempt from the scope of the regulations.

 

How we tested this website

We tested this website on 22nd May 2025. The test was carried out internally by Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

We checked each static page on the website, include the homepage, ‘About’ section and landing pages for maps. The tool we used is called Lighthouse, a free-to-use developer tool on Chrome, which checks each page against standard accessibility issues. Every page received an accessibility score of 90% or higher. Each of the issues was logged, and an action plan formed. The pages are in the process of being updated to comply with legislation. When these changes have been made, we will then check the website again using the same tool to ensure that a score of 100% is obtained for each static webpage. Additionally, new pages will also be checked as they are added to the website.

This new website uses interactive maps created using ESRI's ArcGIS Online solution. These webmaps take up the majority of the page view. As webmaps are exempt from accessibility requirements, these pages were not tested.

Our previous website was last tested on 6th December 2023. The test was carried out internally by Greater Manchester Combined Authority. No major changes to the static pages on that site was made after that date, and before the release of this new website.

 

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We plan to annually review website accessibility, and ensure that any new pages or PDFs conform to web accessibility criteria. However, we are always open to suggestions, additions or the reporting of accessibility problems. Users can use the contact details supplied above.

This statement was initially prepared on 20th September 2019 for a previous version of the website. It was last updated on 23rd May 2025.