“But the waiting times are much longer, and you’re more dependent on traffic,” he said. Often, Mabilly’s only option is to make do with the bus. And I can’t even count the number of times the lifts are out of order.” “Only line 14 and a few other stations are accessible, otherwise it’s just stairs everywhere. But of all these projects, public transport in the greater Paris region in the Île-de-France seems to pose the biggest accessibility challenge.Īn estimated 350,000 disabled people will want to travel between sites in the capital in summer 2024, which breaks down to 4,000 to 5,000 users per day with limited mobility.īut just one year ahead of the competition, taking the metro, the bus or an overground RER train remains a nightmare for disabled travellers. Much of Paris's housing, roads, transport links, Olympic sites and shops are being newly built or upgraded ahead of the 2024 games. Since Paris put itself forward in 2015 as a candidate to host the games, organisers have committed to holding an “inclusive and accessible” competition that would have a tangible positive impact on the 12 million people in France – 17% of the population – who have motor, sensory, cognitive or mental disabilities. “They are going to have to speed up to be ready for the Olympic and Paralympic games.” 350,000 disabled users “Paris is like an obstacle course for people with reduced mobility,” said Mabilly, vice-president of the APF France handicap association. From the metro stop at Place d'Italie, the 2km journey should take around 15 minutes on metro line 6.īut for Mabilly, who is in his 50s, it will take around 40 minutes – a wheelchair user, there is no way for him to navigate the maze of stairs at his nearest metro station. Serge Mabilly types his destination into his mobile phone: the Bercy Arena in Paris’s 12th arrondissement(district).
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