This Friday will see the return of the Make Way Day campaign which is organised by the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) to raise awareness about the access difficulties still being experienced by people with disabilities.
We in this country pride ourselves on being an inclusive society with full equality for all but for many people just being able to negotiate their way around the streets of our town is nigh on impossible.
It doesn’t have to be this way and things have certainly improved in terms of infrastructure – Local Authorities have a legal responsibility to ensure that all public spaces and buildings are accessible to all citizens and they are working hard to adapt where necessary.
But in many cases it is not the infrastructure that is at fault but thoughtlessness and a lack of consideration by members of the public.
Motorists parking on footpaths, thus blocking the way for wheelchair users or parents with buggies, is the classic example but it is by no means the only one.
A survey carried out by DFI earlier this year found that the usual suspects – wheelie bins left on the footpath, badly parked bikes and motorbikes chained to lampposts creating a trip hazard for visually impaired people are still topping the obstacle list.
Illegally placed sandwich boards, forgotten bins, barrels and other obstructions are other issues that can cause problems.
DFI, have developed an online tool that campaigners can use to test and rate their local area along with using MWD stickers to highlight the issues faced by people.
This online tool empowers people with disabilities to survey their area for obstacles and rate its accessibility. They can also share their frustrations by posting photos of obstacles to social platforms with the hashtag, #MakeWayDay22
It is easy to use and download and will be circulated widely on the campaign’s social media platforms.
See www.makewayday.com for more including a list of events.
