Accessible temporary walkways:
planning a route over grass.
A temporary walkway works for wheelchair, mobility scooter and pushchair users when it is wide enough, firm, slip resistant, close to level and free of trip edges at every joint and transition. UK guidance for permanent routes gives the benchmarks: 1.5 m clear width with passing places, 1.8 m without them, gradients no steeper than 1:20 and cross-fall no steeper than 1:40.
The UK benchmarks for an accessible route.
No UK standard sets figures specifically for a temporary walkway over grass. The closest published figures are Approved Document M, written for permanent approaches to buildings, and the Department for Transport's Inclusive Mobility guidance for pedestrian routes. Use them as the benchmark, and record where your route departs from them and why.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| What to check | Benchmark | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Clear width with passing places | At least 1.5 m | Approved Document M Vol 2, para 1.13 |
| Clear width with no passing places | 1.8 m takes any amount of pedestrian traffic | Approved Document M Vol 2, para 1.11 |
| Restricted routes | 1.2 m may be acceptable on restricted sites; temporary footways at street works: 1.2 m minimum, 1.0 m absolute minimum | ADM Vol 2 para 1.11; DfT Inclusive Mobility |
| Passing places | At least 1.8 m wide and 2 m long, within sight of each other and no more than 50 m apart | Approved Document M Vol 2, para 1.13 |
| Gradient along the route | Ideally no steeper than 1:60; 1:20 or steeper is treated as a ramp; 1:12 is the absolute maximum | ADM Vol 2 paras 1.8 and 1.13; DfT Inclusive Mobility |
| Cross-fall | No steeper than 1:40 | ADM Vol 2 para 1.13; DfT Inclusive Mobility |
| Surface | Firm, durable and slip resistant, in wet and dry conditions | ADM Vol 2 para 1.13; DfT Inclusive Mobility |
| Level differences at joints | No greater than 5 mm | ADM Vol 2 para 1.13 (written for paving) |
| Edges and thresholds | Upstands higher than 5 mm chamfered or rounded; total threshold no more than 15 mm | ADM Vol 2 para 2.3 (written for entrances) |
| Turning space | A level area of at least 1.5 m by 1.5 m | ADM Vol 2 (entrance landings) |
| Mobility scooter width | Class 2 and class 3 vehicles are no wider than 0.85 m | GOV.UK mobility scooter rules |
Measure the clear usable width. Ramped edges, barrier feet and signage bases all take width. A route laid at 1.6 m of matting is not a 1.6 m clear route once barriers are fixed along it.
Access is part of the site plan, not an extra.
The legal framing
The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to take reasonable steps where a physical feature puts disabled people at a substantial disadvantage. The EHRC services code describes the duty as anticipatory, so it applies before anyone asks, and it covers temporary features as well as permanent ones. The Act also covers physical features brought onto premises an organiser does not occupy, which includes a hired field.
The safety framing
HSE says organisers must, as far as reasonably practicable, ensure the safety of visiting crowds, and lists ground conditions and site topography in its site design checklist. HSE also reports that slips and trips are the most reported injury to members of the public.
This section summarises published guidance. It is not legal advice. What counts as a reasonable adjustment depends on the event and the people using it.
Seven checks before the first mat goes down.
Walk the whole journey
Accessible parking, drop-off, entrance, toilets, food, viewing areas and exits. A good path that ends at a kerb or a muddy gateway does not work.
Check slope and camber
Mats follow the ground. They do not flatten a slope or remove a cross-fall, so choose the flattest line and treat anything steeper than 1:20 as a ramp.
Plan the clear width
Work from the clear usable width after ramps, barriers and signs, then add passing places at intervals within sight of each other.
Treat every edge
Every point where the walkway meets grass, hardstanding, a kerb or another surface needs a ramped transition. Any upstand over 5 mm is a trip and wheel hazard.
Prepare the ground
Fill ruts and holes and avoid standing water before laying. Mats spread load; they are not designed to bridge voids.
Keep vehicles off
Separate pedestrian routes from vehicle routes. Where a crossing is unavoidable, plan it as a vehicle-rated section with clear marking.
Inspect it daily
Check joints, edges and mud after rain and heavy use, and name who is responsible for putting it right during the event.
TM10 for people. A higher class where vehicles cross.
TM10 is our pedestrian walkway mat: recycled rubber, 1,200 mm by 800 mm, 22 mm thick and 20 kg, with a slip-resistant square tread. Panels slot together on a tongue and groove joint with no loose connectors, and ramped edges give a lower-profile transition to ground level for wheelchairs and pushchairs.
Because the panel sides are 0.8 m and 1.2 m, route widths come in panel multiples. We confirm the clear width from your route plan rather than assuming it.
Where the same route also takes cars or service vehicles, step up to TM50 for that section, after a ground and traffic assessment.
For slip resistance, ask any supplier for the test basis in wet conditions. HSE classes a pendulum test value of 36 or more as low slip potential.
What we need to plan an accessible route.
- Full site address and postcode, with delivery access.
- A sketch or map of the route, from parking to every facility.
- Photos of the ground, including slopes, kerbs and wet areas.
- Who will use it: wheelchairs, mobility scooters, pushchairs, walking aids.
- Event dates, build and break times, and expected footfall.
- Any points where vehicles must cross the route.
TrackSpec gives an indicative starting point. Layout, width and quantity are confirmed from the route plan.
Common accessible walkway questions.
How wide should a temporary accessible walkway be?
Use UK benchmarks for permanent routes as the starting point: at least 1.5 m clear width with passing places, or 1.8 m where people must pass without them. On restricted routes, 1.2 m may be acceptable, and street works guidance treats 1.0 m as the absolute minimum for a temporary footway. Measure the clear usable width between ramps, barrier feet and edges, not the mat width.
Can mobility scooters use ground protection mats?
Yes, where the route is wide, firm, nearly level and free of lifted joints and unramped edges. Class 2 and class 3 mobility scooters are no wider than 0.85 m, but they need room to turn and pass. TM10 is our pedestrian walkway mat; where the same route also carries vehicles, the class is reviewed.
What gradient is acceptable on an accessible route?
UK guidance treats a route steeper than 1:20 as a ramp, prefers 1:60 or less where possible, and gives 1:12 as the absolute maximum. Cross-fall should be no steeper than 1:40. Matting follows the ground, so it does not flatten a slope or camber.
Do event organisers have to provide accessible routes?
The Equality Act 2010 places a duty on service providers to make reasonable adjustments where a physical feature puts disabled people at a substantial disadvantage. The EHRC code describes the duty as anticipatory, and features brought onto a hired site are covered. What is reasonable depends on the event, so take advice on your own situation. This guide is not legal advice.
Can walkway mats be laid straight onto grass?
Usually, yes, on reasonably even ground. The mats follow the contour of the ground rather than bridging it, so fill ruts and holes first, avoid standing water, and check the route after rain and heavy use.
How do I stop an event field turning to mud where people walk?
Protect the routes people will use most before the ground deteriorates: entrances, queues, links between car parks and the arena, and routes to toilets and facilities. A firm walkway keeps people on one line and protects the grass either side.
Sources.
- Approved Document M, Volume 2 (with 2024 amendments). Permanent approaches to buildings other than dwellings.
- DfT Inclusive Mobility (December 2021). Best practice for pedestrian and transport infrastructure; not statutory.
- GOV.UK: Mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs, the rules.
- Equality Act 2010, section 20 and Schedule 2, paragraph 2.
- EHRC Services, public functions and associations: Statutory Code of Practice, paragraphs 7.20, 7.21 and 7.60.
- HSE event safety: venue and site design; HSE INDG225 slips and trips; HSE GEIS2 slip resistance.
