Accessibility statement
We aim to meet WCAG 2.2 AA.
Wayback Walk is an independent project, and we want it usable by as many people as possible. We build towards the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.2, level AA, and we're honest below about where the tool falls short — mostly because of the third-party map it's built on.
Prepared 21 July 2026 · based on our own testing
What we've done
- Semantic, structured HTML with page landmarks, a document language, and a logical heading order.
- Keyboard operation of the controls — search, the date chips, the panel toggles, menus and dialogs — with a clearly visible focus outline.
- Screen-reader support on interactive parts: labelled buttons, menu and dialog roles, pressed/expanded states, and live-region announcements when results update.
- Reduced motion — animations and transitions are switched off when your device asks for that.
- Readable by default — a colour palette chosen for contrast, and text that reflows and resizes with your browser zoom.
Known limitations — being straight with you
The heart of the app is Google's embedded Street View and Maps, which we don't control and can't fully rebuild for accessibility:
- The Street View panes are a visual, drag-to-look interface. Panning and zooming inside them, and the imagery itself, are not meaningfully available to screen readers.
- The map's click-and-drag exploration is inherently visual; where we can, we offer postcode and place-name search and a starter-street list as non-map routes in.
- The row of capture-date chips scrolls sideways on narrow screens; it is keyboard-reachable, but the scrolling itself is a visual affordance.
Because of the above, someone relying entirely on a screen reader can read the dates, context strips and method, but cannot experience the side-by-side imagery that is the point of the tool. We say so plainly rather than claim otherwise.
Report a problem
If you hit a barrier — or you need a specific comparison described to you — tell us through the enquiry form and describe what you were trying to do. We aim to reply within five working days and to fix what we reasonably can.
How we tested
This statement is based on our own assessment against WCAG 2.2 AA, using keyboard-only navigation and a screen reader, plus manual checks of contrast and reflow. It has not been independently audited. As the app changes, we review this statement and update the date above.