As part of our advocacy, #OneAccessibility, we will share information about differently-abled persons and profile one location with accessible trails. Look out every week for this enlightening post.
It may probably not come as a surprise that I love travelling ~ we’ll hey, I’m a local guide right? While exploring new cities and countries, I often wander into the local scenes to really get a feel of the people. I cannot count the number of cities I have been to but I do remember the experiences of each. I felt deeply cared for in one city (Uyo, Nigeria) and at peace in another (Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica). I felt like I understood the people in one city (Nassau, Bahamas) and experienced a different way of living in another (Paris, France). All in all, each city gave me a unique feeling and vibe.
An Accessible City
During the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)'s 2019 Congress and World Summit, an inclusive and accessible city was described as a place where everyone, regardless of their economic means, gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual identity, migration status or religion, is enabled and empowered to fully participate in the social, economic, cultural and political opportunities that cities have to offer.
When I think of accessible cities, the first city that always comes to mind is London, England and I’d like to give a shout out to fellow One Accessibility team mate, @Globe_trotter_Ish , for continuously highlighting areas of accessibility in the city as a London local guide. I have been there a number of times and each time, I discover something about the city that I had not noticed prior.
London as an Accessible City
London embodies what an accessible city should and has been said to be one of the best destinations in Europe for tourists with disabilities.
— Public Transportation: Nearly all buses and trains have a wheelchair ramp. Every official London taxi has a wheelchair ramp that the drivers can take out, although the older cabs may have smaller spaces inside.
— Major Attractions: The good news is that most of the tourist attractions can be accessed with ease or have staff on standby to assist. I would recommend securing a ticket in advance when planning to visit tourist attractions to avoid the long wait, especially when visiting Parliament (which you need a ticket in advance).
— Products in Stores: Many of the products, especially in pharmacies, have brailles on the back of the items (for those with visual impairments).
Remember These When Visiting Accessible London
While London is a pacesetter in accessibility, there are some challenges or payoffs that one may face when visiting:
— Distance within Attractions: Many of the major attractions are spread out through the city, so one would need to use public transportation and taxis to get around the city.
— Theatres/Older Buildings: London is a historical city and many of the older buildings may not have the facilities to accommodate accessible needs.
— Expensive Accommodation: London is an expensive city in general, so booking a hotel within walking or rolling distance from where you would like to go would incur a high cost.
I enjoyed reminiscing about my time in London. While I have not seen braille included on restaurant menus yet (an area for improvement), I do commend the city as a whole and officials guiding the city towards a progressive era.
Are there any other aspects of accessibility in London you observed during a previous visit?
What other cities in England would you label as ‘accessible-friendly’?
If you have a question, suggestion or contribution, feel free to comment below. You can read last week’s roundup article here and check the list of our other articles under "Accessibility Uncovered".
