Disabled Citizens’ Inquiry finds inadequate infrastructure discriminates against disabled people
The Disabled Citizens’ Inquiry has found that inadequate infrastructure is unfairly discriminating against disabled people when accessing their communities.
This research, led by Sustrans in partnership with Transport for All, highlights the actions the government and local authorities must take now to give disabled people the freedom to walk or wheel independently around their neighbourhoods.
Sustrans is calling on local and national governments to give disabled people a voice when it comes to decisions that affect how they get around their local area.
Xavier Brice, Sustrans CEO, said: “Our report clearly demonstrates that understanding the barriers disabled people experience getting around their neighbourhoods is imperative in creating an equitable society.
“Putting disabled people at the centre of discussions about how we plan and create spaces where we can all move around easily and safely is vital.
“The UK government must listen and take action to create places planned around people, not cars.”
The report is the culmination of a six-month-long Disabled Citizens’ Inquiry. An accompanying Ipsos survey of over 1,100 disabled people across the UK paints a stark picture of how inaccessible and dangerous our neighbourhoods and communities have become.
Coordinating the findings, Sustrans has released recommendations to make communities and neighbourhoods safer, more accessible, and more inclusive for disabled people.
The recommendations include prohibiting pavement parking to make communities more accessible, creation of a long-term dedicated pavement fund to improve and maintain pavements and ensuring disabled people can be within walking or wheeling distance of services and amenities by creating communities with accessible services close to where people live through better planning.
Xavier Brice added: “In 2020, the Department for Transport consulted on pavement parking. Three years later, nothing has changed.
“Everyone is equally entitled to rely on safe and inclusive pavements and now is the time to act.
“The findings of our Inquiry are clear. More must be done to make our towns and cities more accessible, inclusive places that people want to live, work, and move around, for the benefit of everyone.”
To help blind and visually impaired people cross a cycleway in Cardiff, a pedestrian crossing was recently added in response to having been criticised in the past by blind and partially-sighted people.
Caroline Stickland, CEO of Transport for All, said: “Transport for All’s role was to ensure that disabled peoples’ voices were at the heart of this ground-breaking inquiry.
“From codesigning the study, to facilitating pan-impairment workshops, to generating recommendations, disabled people were involved at every stage.
“Not only does this give the government a uniquely clear and actionable picture of what we as disabled people need to make walking and wheeling more accessible, but it also provides a blueprint for how our community must be engaged with every mode of transport going forward.”
As part of RNIB’s ‘Who put that there!’ campaign it collected information on common problems faced by blind and partially sighted while navigating the streets, with recommendations on how to support people with sight loss in neighbourhoods and make streets accessible for everyone.
Rachael Badger, Director of Performance and Engagement at Motability said: “This inquiry provides eye-opening insight into the experiences of disabled people and the challenges they face when moving around their communities.
“It is vital that the voices of disabled people are heard when decisions are taken about infrastructure in their local areas, and that accessibility is made a priority. We are pleased to have supported this important research.”
