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Budapest is working hard to become more accessible
The Hungarian capital Budapest is actively working on becoming more accessible and navigable for people with disabilities. Its goal is to ensure that all residents are able to enjoy good quality of life.
Mayor of Budapest Gergely Karácsony stated on social media: ‘’Many people in our community have difficulty or no access to basic public services because they have a disability. I have promised to report on the concrete improvements we have made to improve their quality of life, as we work with our institutions in the capital to make them feel at home.’’
The mayor of the Hungarian capital stated that several public parks and squares in Budapest have been made barrier-free, such as Blaha Lujza Square. Furthermore, new pedestrian crossings at over 30 intersections that are all wheelchair accessible have also been constructed.
‘’I have already reported on the new M3 metro stations, and I am extremely proud that, contrary to the original plans, the people of Budapest stood up for their fellow citizens with disabilities in 2018 and fought for barrier-free stations to be built,’’ Mayor Karácsony also stated.
‘’But it’s not just the busiest lines that have seen changes: we’ve made remote external PA systems available on 185 buses to help blind and partially sighted people travel, and replaced old vehicles with low-floor ones on several tram lines to make it easier to get on and off,’’ he continued.
According to World Health Organization Europe, 6 to 10 persons out of every 100 people in the WHO European Region live with a disability. When cities are designed with accessibility in mind, people with disabilities are more likely to feel socially integrated, which should be a major priority for European cities.
The progress made in Budapest is a good example of a city taking direct steps to become more accessible, and therefore ensuring better living conditions among people with disabilities. (photo credit: pch.vector/Freepik)
