Getting around

Nearly every city have disabled access to lots of places, Glasgow in Scotland was rated as very good by disabled athletes at The Commonwealth Games, with smooth paths and easy ramps up and down from paths, some areas in the UK still have cobbles, which are horrible from a wheelchairs point of view, doubt it's great for anyone who partially sighted or completely blind either.

The EU has a great scheme ongoing since 2010, called Access City Award, the award recognises cities that have made an effort to remove barriers, highlighting cities that help people with disabilities to participate fully in society and enjoy their rights as equals, the award has four main requirements,

        The built environment and it's public spaces

        Transport and related infrastructure

        Information and communication, which includes new technology

        Public facilities and services

In 2010 66 European countries joined the completion, the winner was Avila, Spain

By 2013, 102 cities applied to join this scheme, the winner this time was Gothenburg, Sweden.

This is a great idea, anything that makes disabled people feel less isolated and inward is a great plan in our world, if people feel they can go out or visit a cinema or the football ground gives us a normality in everyday living.

I find buses hard work, yes they lower if a wheelchair needs to board, but have heard people being refused because seats for disabled already in use by a pram or a buggy and to wait for next bus, most of the time I would just go home, too cold to sit and wait on next bus.  A lot of shops have better access but some have still steps on entry and small aisles, doctors should be the best but ours still has carpet and it just doesn't work. Why are paths not all Tarmac, can't be cost, but in Newcastle a lot of streets have paving slabs, which are useless, but in some areas of the same city there is Tarmac roads and paths.

It's a legal requirement for cities to have disabled access so why they need a completion to make them do so is baffling, making enough car parks or bus stops seems easier, some places have park and rides at train stations in their capital city why not mobility scooter hire also.