As we near the end of the HVT programme, we’ve been reflecting on the key themes of our work with stakeholders in the programme.
We hear from Bright Oywaya, a disability advocate in Kenya, about how our work on inclusion is helping address some of the challenges people with disabilities face when using transport.
Public transport isn’t operated with disabilities in mind. It means that 10-16% of the people in the world living with a significant disability are partially or completely excluded from the life they should be able to lead. There’s children that can’t get to school, people who quit work because they can’t get there, and people who can’t get to hospital or access amenities.
When I was involved in a road crash, that was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. I injured my spine and lost the use of my lower limbs. For almost 30 years, I’ve been in a wheelchair.
I quickly began to realise that public transport was inaccessible. But it was the key to independent mobility. Every time I needed to go somewhere, I had to rely on others. That life was restrictive and stressful. Now, nearly three decades on, we’re still dealing with barriers.
I continue to see gaps in the planning, design and implementation in transport infrastructure. People with disabilities are often an add-on in policy to tick the box, but I don’t believe there’s intention for implementation. We face many barriers as we try to live our everyday lives, including costs of transport, lack of ramps and safe walkways.
Being unable to get around affects people’s quality of life, health, wellbeing and freedom. There needs to be deliberate effort to make changes, and the transport sector needs to embrace an inclusive mindset and culture.
When we think of interventions we think of big budgets. This isn’t the case. HVT research has shown it’s possible to have low cost changes, like removing obstructions from footpaths, accessible bus stop levels and easy to follow signs. This research has shown we can start simply.
People with disabilities have the right to exist and access transport like anyone else. HVT’s research in this area has helped to highlight the challenges and hopefully give the push the sector needs to embrace availability, accessibility, affordability and safety for people with disabilities.