Problems of accessibility in Chisinau debated at a Civic Forum
The city of Chisinau should become more accessible for people with disabilities, but also for blind people, Ludmila Iachim, executive director of the "Motivație" Association, told Radio Moldova. Blind people say that more audible traffic lights should be in operation in the capital, and representatives of the Chisinau Municipality say that 266 transport units have been procured in the last three years that are accessible to people with disabilities and more tactile pavements have been applied.
Both public and private institutions, streets and stations in the capital must be accessible for people with disabilities and blind people, said today for our radio station the executive director of the Association "Motivație", Ludmila Iachim, participating in the civic forum "We make Chisinau accessible".
"You can't just walk into a shop. Minibuses in general should disappear, it should be trolleybuses, buses. We have taxi services that also have very big problems and we have one or two companies that have a car that is partially accessible. I think, as a wheelchair user, that our city, Chisinau, is inaccessible. We still have a lot of things to change", explained Ludmila Iachim.
The main difficulties for blind people are too high kerbs, sharp handrails and lack of audible traffic lights, pointed out another forum participant, Ion Cebanu.
"We have traffic lights in the Telecentre, Centru area of the capital. A person needs to have accessibility all around the city. I have often faced those barriers put on the sidewalk to prevent cars from parking. You risk getting traumatised, you get unbalanced when you trip over them," Ion Cebanu remarked.
The municipal authorities have provided conditions for people with disabilities on the main streets of Chisinau, the deputy mayor of the capital, Angela Cutasevici, told Radio Moldova. According to the functionary, 266 transport units accessible to this category have been purchased in the last three years.
"It is that implementation plan, namely to exclude totally of those minibus routes that are in the municipality. Already 25 intersections are signalised with those audible devices, especially for blind people. We have 205 buses that are equipped with ramps. Out of 434 trolleybuses, 349 are equipped with ramps", said Angela Cutasevici.
On Thursday, 25 May, a civic forum entitled "Making Chisinau Accessible" was held in Chisinau, attended by civil servants, people with disabilities, elderly people, parents with young children and cyclists.
