Salisbury City Council, The Disability Interest Group of Salisbury (DIGS) and Signs in Motion are teaming up on a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of red cords in accessible toilets.
DIGS say that non-disabled people may not realise how vital the red emergency cords in accessible toilets are.
Some accessible toilets see the cord tied up, cut or obstructed which is a violation of safety regulations and accessibility standards.
The Red Cord is an essential life-saving feature for people who suffer from disabilities, and misusing the cord could delay an emergency, which puts lives at risk.
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As part of the initiative, Signs in Motion has printed out clear and informative posters which will be installed in accessible toilets throughout the city.
Kez Adey, the CEO of DIGS, said: “The Red Cord Campaign is important to DIGS because it can be a life-or-death situation… many non-disabled people don’t realise how important the cord can be.
“We need as many people as possible to understand the importance, which is why we are running educational spaces and workshops for independent social groups of all ages.
“We thank both Salisbury City Council and Signs in Motion for the support in getting this campaign off the ground.”
In February 2026, DIGS presented the campaign proposal to the Council’s Commercial Services Committee, which gave its unanimous support.
All groups that have collaborated on the Red Cord Campaign want to highlight this as a prevalent and critical safety issue.
These emergency red cords should always be left untied, hanging freely to the floor, and should never be tampered with.
Cllr Sam Foster, chair of the commercial services committee, said: “This has been one of those times where I was left thinking why isn’t this already being done, and if all these groups can tackle the issue, let’s do so.
“I look forward to seeing the campaign being rolled out, and then continuing to look at its effectiveness and whether new ideas are needed.
“Our committee’s view was clear that this isn’t just about a nice campaign but actually making sure we address the important issue of preventing red emergency cords from being tampered with.”
Lee Burt, Director of Signs in Motion, said: “Having worked with the City Council for many years and learning about this campaign with DIGS, we were happy to help in order to help raise awareness of this cause.”
