TOMORROW new disability laws come into effect which will have a major impact on shops, bars, restaurants, pubs and council offices.

Designed to make access to all major services as easy for those with special needs as for the able bodied, part three of the Disability Discrimination Act is a far-reaching piece of legislation.

But research carried out by the Disability Rights Commission suggests that four out of five businesses in the UK's high streets will not be ready to comply.

The picture doesn't look much rosier in Wharfedale. The unpalatable truth is that although there are notable exceptions, like Otley Methodist Church, most places have either not bothered or are unable to alter their premises to cater properly for disabled customers.

The new part of the act means businesses have to remove or improve things like steps, heavy doors, and insufficient lighting all of which can prove insurmountable obstacles to the disabled.

It is surely a of deep embarrassment for town and parish councils across the land, given that they exist to serve the community, that many of their own buildings will fail to meet the act's requirements.

Otley Town Councillor John Eveleigh is right to point out that making old buildings, like the Civic Centre fully accessible is no simple task. But Coun Eveleigh is also correct to say it is scandalous that people with disabilities are still being prevented from using the same services as everyone else.

Surely the centre, along with all the other public buildings and services in our area, could at least make a start after all the act's requirements have been known for years.

From Friday, disabled people will be able to take court cases against 'persistent offenders'. Business support groups may justifiably point to the complexity of the legislation. But it must fall to those organisations to steer their members through the complexities before they end up in court.