Petition for barrier-free access to public transport
Published: Thursday, Jan 25th 2024, 14:00
Updated At: Friday, Jan 26th 2024, 00:59
العودة إلى البث المباشر
A group of people with disabilities launched a petition for the full implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act in public transport at SBB headquarters in Bern on Thursday. Several dozen people took part in a protest action in front of the SBB headquarters in Bern.
The group gathered in front of the SBB staff restaurant in Bern's Wankdorf district at lunchtime. SBB is representative of all public transport companies, the group stated in a press release.
The group consisted of private individuals who had originally connected via the text messaging service Whatsapp, as their spokesperson, Roger Lier, told the Keystone-SDA news agency. There were people with and without wheelchairs in Bern's Wankdorf on Thursday.
They criticized the fact that even after 20 years, there is still a lack of implementation of the Disability Discrimination Act in public transport. This was still not barrier-free. The deadline for implementing the law expired at the end of 2023.
Criticism of lack of interest from politics and public transport
"We people with disabilities can only use public transport spontaneously and autonomously to a very limited extent today. Shuttle buses that force us to be transported as freight in a separate system, far away from society and having to register hours in advance, are no substitute for equal use of public transport," reads a statement.
The group criticized the "lack of interest on the part of politicians and transport companies". A petition was launched on Thursday to counter this lack of interest.
In addition to barrier-free public transport across the board, the group is also calling for binding planning on how and by when this goal will be achieved, as well as an apology and compensation from transport companies and politicians for missing the deadline.
The Disability Equality Act came into force in 2004. It aims to enable people with disabilities to participate in social life on an equal footing and to eliminate disadvantages. This requires various measures in buildings and facilities or in public transport.
The Federal Office of Transport's latest progress report on implementation shows that around 28 percent of stations have exceeded the deadline for adaptation.
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