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Please sign my petition and help support wheelchair users
shirleyt214
Member Posts: 14 Connected
Could you please support wheelchair users and sign my petition regarding lack of accessibility. Please share this far and wide. This situation urgently needs to change. My petition can be found here -
The Edinburgh Evening News have picked up the story and published a piece today - https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/people/its-been-torture-wheelchair-bound-stroke-survivor-slams-lack-disabled-access-edinburgh-660965
Thank you so much. Shirley
Shirley Todd
Replies
I have family living there so I know a little of what it's like to get around Edinburgh as a disabled person! To answer you on how that which the newspaper article describes is allowed to happen, the Equality Act 2010 isn't fit for purpose and is now widely ignored, because those failing to provide reasonable adjustments know they can act with impunity. Loopholes, such as 'cost,' provide convenient get-outs. In Edinburgh, difficult roads are unlikely to be dealt with. Leastways, I was told nothing will be done about cobblestones as they are part of the city's heritage.
Respecting a law that systematically fails the people it is supposed to protect, I read that a disabled MP asked David Cameron when he was prime minister to tighten the law - and he refused. This despite him having a disabled son - but the family are so rich I imagine getting around was never an issue for them.
Have you heard of Euan's Guide? It is specifically for disabled people to submit disabled access reviews - and Euan is himself a wheelchair user based in Edinburgh. If you sign up to the site at https://www.euansguide.com/ you will be able not only to submit reviews warning other disabled people where to avoid, you can also read reviews to find venues that might be OK for you.