Almost two years after I first raised the issue (to a reaction from the cabal that runs the microformats “community” which began with denial and moved to hostility) the BBC have stopped using the hCalendar microformat due to accessibility concerns.
Maybe now something can be done to incorporate one of the several, more accessible proposed work-arounds, into the relevant standards?
Thanks to Bruce Lawson and Patrick Lauke for breaking the news.
Update: Patrick now has a post on the subject, at webstandards.org