But really only usable if someone has a disability. Being a parent and using cargo or tandem bikes for example aren't disabilities under the law. So if you aren't disabled, you may wish to do some ally work by supporting a disabled "named claimant" or helping with funding things like issuing legal claims. Other tactics can be to get local cycle campaigns alerted to issues as some can do background work with councils to say "don't do this, or disabled people will sue you" so there's evidence they were aware.
Great 1st attempt at using the law. The author of the legal guide the OP used is my co-trustee of Reasonable Access -
http://www.reasonableaccess.org.uk which is set up partly to encourage people to do such complaints with guidance on some of the stages and a bingo of reactions and strategy (more is coming). BUT... It legalling risk free. As the OP shows, the council were not responsive and he was only able to get undisclosed financial compo out of them, he didn't get any apology, admission of liability or any change to the dodgy gate which is arguably what he wanted.
While technically the OP can sue again, if it hits court, they will decide he's already had damages once and there's a significant chance the judge will be unsupportive. There's controversy about whether an injunction "legal mandate to change the barrier" can be done in the small claims court. I've seen it done, but it may be technically not normally done and is very reliant on a reasonable judge... And even if the judge is in theory happy with it. It has to be very very specifically worded and clearly not unreasonable as judges are reluctant to mandate something that the respondent could turn round as say was "overstepping" their mark.
So yeah. Great campaign and I would like to see more people do such things, and do it in a way which allows them to proceed to more significant change by demanding change as well as damages and being clear in correspondence that without change the damages go up and up. I've seen people ask for very high compo (within Vento bands) but say "If you do X I'll drop compo by ££" "If you do X and Y I'll drop compo by £££"... It's also hard to know how well that works. I've rarely seen a respondent make change if they can avoid it, even when it's simple... Cos they get so hung up on changing things would mean admitting it... Councils being really nasty to sue.
Also, it's not technically illegal for a group of people to plan to go to a barrier and sue for disability discrimination (Roads v Central Trains) BUT again, judges can be twats and still decide there isn't sufficient detriment to meet the legal test and downgrade outcomes as a result. Councils will play the "but motorcyclists/quadbikists" proportionate aim card very hard.
I hope one day to be able to get to York and try this one myself onna trike, which will probably end up being 2023 or so at the rate of my legs :/
Basically TLDR courts and judges are often shit. It is very hard to enforce your rights with the law.
The private matters rant thread is due an update.