This is a collaborative post.
Accessibility comes in so many different forms now and so many individuals rely on public land and property to have easy access. It’s needed for parents like me with pushchairs and children with little legs, those using wheelchairs and some that rely on something to assist getting about like an 8mph mobility scooter. Even as a parent I have struggled getting on and off public transport and certain places we have visited as a family. Where I have found this tricky I can only imagine what others who rely on places being accessible find them.
I remember taking Evie to London one day with my dad when she was just two years old and still relied on being in a pushchair for the majority of the time. Getting around was really tough with a lack of lifts on the underground and narrow escalators. London is an incredibly busy and crowded place and I can’t help but thing sometimes people with restricted mobility might avoid visiting because it’s just so hard to get around. There are off course plenty of things to do in London for those with disabilities and restricted mobility. Despite it’s name, a walking tour is always guided at a good pace. I found the Jack the Ripper tour particularly interesting and something I think most people could keep up with.
Things that can make getting around tricky for those with mobility difficulties are ensuring pavements and walkways are well maintained, free of gaps and kept clear of rubble. Lots of public places and attractions are now much more suitable for everyone and accessibility for all is really something lots of companies care about these days. It’s important to make sure people of all abilities can see the sites they want to see. It’s good to see there are some wonderful, charitable initiatives around too to ensure this happens.
Having lifts in flats and high rises is also something positive and something even to me is fairly new. We have a lift in our building of just five floors but at least it means that those housed here can always access their home. These lifts need to be properly maintained and thankfully ours is rarely out of order as there are a lot of parents here. Even though I’m only on the first floor in our building I can’t imagine what it would be like to have to carry a pushchair up and down the stairs every morning on the school run so I’m thankful we have a lift. Making doorways, hallways and walkways wider to accommodate everyone is really important too. It’s good to see wider pathways in local towns.
It’s really good to see that there are companies and initiatives that are keen to get those who have mobility issues out and about by making their grounds more accessible to them. It can be really disheartening to learn you can’t visit a place because the grounds just aren’t suitable for wheelchair users. Keeping the grounds clear, widening pathways and above all making everyone who visits these sites and attractions more inviting is important. I always read through the accessibility guidelines before visiting a place to see how well suited it would be for us and it’s always good to read that a place has disabled toilets, ramps and wide pathways.
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