Council website
www.edinburgh.gov.uk
Compliance status
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.
Unless planned resolution target is specifically stated against an item, we are working routinely with content creators and application suppliers to address all issues and to fully comply with WCAG 2.1 AA as soon as possible.
Non-accessible content
The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.
Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations by site and WCAG 2.1 success criterium
WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text content
Some pages have missing alt text on images.
1.3. The user is able to interact with elements outside of the menu button
WCAG 1.3.1 Info and relationships
Some pages are missing their level 1 heading.
Visual presentation (using <b> for emphasis) has been used on some pages.
Some pages have missing level 1 headings
Some pages use duplicate ids. Duplicate ids can make it difficult for assistive technologies to identify parts of the page successfully.
Some pages have labels points to non-existent ids.
Some news pages use headings as styles rather than document hierarchy.
It is not possible to view the heading one on some pages. The heading one exists but is hidden by CSS.
Some PDF documents do not provide information on the structure or the roles of components to help you navigate, such as headings.
1.3.1. WCAG 2.4.3 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
Throughout the site, the user is able to interact with elements outside the menu without it being closed.
For example, when a keyboard user navigates away from the last menu item (i.e Warm and welcoming spaces), the focus moves to elements behind the menu instead of the close button.
As a result, keyboard users are required to tab through all the elements on the page before navigating to the menu button again.
WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful sequence
The reading order of some PDF documents is not correct, making it difficult to access these using a screen reader.
WCAG 1.3.3 Sensory characteristics
The bin day calendars rely on visual perception of shape and colour to understand your bin day.
WCAG 1.4.12 Text spacing
The chat bot does not let you adjust text spacing or size.
WCAG 1.4.3 - Contrast, minimum
The placeholder text in the chat bot does not have sufficient contrast.
Some PDFs lack sufficient contrast, especially in charts and graphs.
WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow
At 400% the chat bot window is obscured by the cookie panel.
Above 300%, close chat bot Yes/No buttons cannot be seen.
WCAG 1.4.11 Non-text contrast
Some PDF graphs and charts that rely on colour to provide information do not provide enough contrast.
1.6. Error message not announced to screen reader users
1.6.1. WCAG 3.3.1 (A), 4.1.3 (AA) - Desktop, Mobile
Throughout the web site, there are multiple instances of changes that dynamically appear on screen but they are not communicated to screen reader users. For instance, on the EMA Learning Agreement page, when a user tries to go to the next page after entering incorrect information or without filling in all the forms there is an error message that appears at the top of the page. However, this change is not made immediately apparent to screen reader users as it is to sighted users.
1.7. Elements are not keyboard accessible
1.7.1. WCAG 2.1.1 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
Throughout the Edinburgh council site, there are elements that are not keyboard operable.
For instance, keyboard users are unable to navigate to the pin on the map on theWarm and Welcoming Spaces page. It is only when the user clicks the mouse that the focus moves into the map element. As a result, keyboard users are missing out on key information which is not available elsewhere on the page. A similar issue occurs on the Birth Registration page, the user is unable to navigate to the ‘Logged on as a guest’ button using the keyboard alone.
1.8. Focus moved behind the cookies modal on mobile
1.8.1. WCAG 2.4.3 (A) - Mobile
When users enter the site for the first time on mobile with screen reader activated, a cookie modal appears on screen, the user is able to interact with content outside of the modal without it being dismissed.
1.9. Hamburger menu is not accessible with VoiceOver activated
1.9.1. WCAG 2.4.3 (A), 4.1.1 (A)
When the website is viewed on an iPhone with VoiceOver activated, the user is unable to interact with the hamburger menu.
1.11. Missing Level 1 Headings
1.11.1. WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 4.1.1 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
Throughout the site, headings are not being used to HTML specifications as there is a missing <H1> elements.
1.14. Disabled link not in the tab order
1.14.1. WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 2.4.3 (A) - Desktop
Throughout different journeys on the site, users are given the option to navigate between the next or previous page. However, when users are on the first page, the link to go to the previous page is disabled. This is indicated visually by an increased transparency of the font against the background.
1.17. Icons do not have accessible labels on mobile or with browser zoom applied
1.17.1. WCAG 1.1.1 (A), 1.4.10 (AA) - Desktop, Mobile
When viewing the site on mobile or when 400% browser zoom is applied, the search and menu buttons do not have an accessible labels. On mobile, the menu is announced by screen readers as ’“hash js hash menu” and on desktop, the menu is announced as “www.edinburgh.gov.uk js-menu link” with 400% browser zoom. Similarly, the search link is announced as “’hash js hash search” on mobile and “www.edinburgh.gov.uk js-search link” on desktop with 400% browser zoom applied.
1.18. Links open in a new tab without informing screen reader users in advance
1.18.1. WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 3.2.2 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
On different instances throughout the site, there are links that take users to a new page or site (such as to social media sites, the Royal Mail site, or the Recite Me user guide). These pages open in a new tab without informing sighted or non-sighted users.
1.23. Hamburger menu coded as a link
1.23.1. WCAG 4.1.2 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
Throughout the Edinburgh council site, the menu in the navigation bar includes elements coded as links but they function as buttons.
1.25. Verbose announcement of logo
1.25.1. WCAG 1.1.1 (A), 4.1.1 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
The logo for the homepage is announced as “Logo: The City of Edinburgh Council graphic The City of
Edinburgh Council The City of Edinburgh Council Home Page” by screen readers.
1.26. The current page is not announced on the breadcrumbs navigation
1.26.1. WCAG 1.3.1 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
Throughout the site, the breadcrumbs are well-implemented. However, when a screen reader user
lands on these elements it announces the number of elements in the list, but users cannot navigate to the current page using the tab key. This may cause confusion, for instance when the screen reader announces there are 4 items in the list, but users can only navigate to three.
1.27. Observation (Observation)
Elements in the footer have a <title> attribute that is the same as the link text.
1.28. Focus indicator could be clearer (Observation)
1.28.1. Focus indicator could be clearer
Throughout the side, a thin dotted purple outline is used to indicate the element currently receiving focus. While the purple against the white background meets the minimum required contrast ratio of
3:1, this focus indicator itself is not very visible on the screen. In its current implementation, the focus indicator can be difficult to perceive, and may be completely missed by people with a visual impairment.
WCAG 2.4.2 Page titles
Some pages have more than one title (automated test)
Some page search results have ambiguous titles, such as 'Records starting with A'.
WCAG 2.4.4 Link purpose, in context
It is not possible to determine the purpose of some download icons on the Shared repairs page using a screen reader.
WCAG 2.4.6 Headings and labels
The contact telephone numbers page contains some headings with no text.
WCAG 2.4.7 Focus visible
The search icon in the main page header is not easy to see it has been selected when navigating using the keyboard.
2.6. Accessibility issues relating to custom colour themes
2.6.1. WCAG 1.1.1 (A), 1.4.11 (AA), 2.4.7 (A), 3.2.4 (AA) - Desktop, Mobile
The Recite Me toolbar includes various buttons to enhance accessibility. However, using the option to modify the colour theme can create additional accessibility problems. For example:
• on the Home Energy page, some interactive elements in the navigation landmark become invisible
or have very low contrast
• on the home page, it’s very hard to tell which element has focus as there is no visible focus
indicator or insu_icient colour contrast for the focus.
This will pose significant issues for keyboard users who use high contrast mode.
3.1. Contact details announced without context
WCAG 3.1.1 Language of page
Language of page not set (automated test).
3.1.1. WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 2.4.4 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
On some pages throughout the site, contact details are provided to users for them to make use of advice or support services. Visually, the purpose of these details (phone number, email, website, etc.) is made evident to sighted users through the use of containers or adjacent text.
However, screen reader users navigating by interactive elements are not provided with any information regarding the purpose of the content—for instance, a phone number would be announced but they would not know why or what it relates to.
WCAG 3.3.2 Labels or instructions
Some form input fields contain no labels.
WCAG 4.1.1 Parsing
Many pages don’t confirm to strict HTML specifications. This reduces compatibility with some assistive technologies.
WCAG 4.1.2 Name, role, value
It is not possible to determine the purpose of some download icons on the Shared repairs page using a screen reader.
5.3. No focus indicator on calendar on Firefox
5.3.1. WCAG 2.4.7 (A), 4.1.1 (A) - Desktop, Firefox
Throughout the Edinburgh council site, date pickers are used to aid a date selection. However, on Firefox there is no visible focus indicator on certain elements within the date picker to help keyboard users identify which date they are interacting with.
12.1. Link text is not descriptive enough
12.1.1. WCAG 1.3.1 (A), 2.4.4 (A), 3.3.2 (A) - Desktop, Mobile
On the Directory A to Z page, there is a list of links to filter results of records starting with a specific letter that are announced to screen reader users as ‘A link’, ‘B link’, ‘C link’ etc. The link text of each of these links does not give the user enough context as to where the link will take them.
Furthermore, there are no instructions to notify users that selecting these letters will produce a list of results matching the records name.