Accessibility means guaranteeing all users that they can quickly and without difficulty access a building, all services, and information. As you will have understood, the law not only defines disability but also makes it compulsory to provide accessibility to all establishments open to the public, public transport networks, roads, and public spaces.
You should know that accessibility like hitch lifts does not only concern people with disabilities but also pregnant women, the elderly, those overweight, all those whose situation, temporary or not, can hinder their access to a place or service.
We realize that accessibility solutions created to help the most vulnerable are also beneficial to all others, whether they have a disability or not. This notion is also underlined in the government’s definition of accessibility for people with disabilities:
“Accessibility enables the autonomy and participation of people with a disability, reducing or even eliminating the discrepancies between the capacities, needs, and wishes on the one hand, and the different physical, organizational and cultural components of their environment on the other hand.
Accessibility requires implementing additional elements necessary for any person permanently or temporarily incapacitated to move and have free and safe access to the living environment and all places, services, products, and activities. By subscribing to this accessibility approach, the company also improves the quality of life of all its members.”
Accessibility, Universal Design, Inclusive Design: What Are The Differences?
If you’ve ever researched accessibility, you may have come across the terms universal design and inclusive design. If these three concepts are linked, they still have significant nuances. We can synthesize them like this:
With accessibility, we focus on what already exists to adapt it to the needs of people with disabilities through specific solutions or equipment. Tactile guidance can be found in stations or establishments, allowing people with visual disabilities to find their way around.
The universal design, also known as design for all, concerns a single solution that can overcome the difficulties of everyone. Hypersensitive people or those with cognitive or mental disabilities can be highly stressed in a crowded and anxiety-provoking environment such as the metro. And this is also valid for all metro users in general. Thanks to this shelter, users have a place to stay calm and peaceful.
