The Disabled Persons Assembly (DPA) is alarmed that many of the proposals in the draft Accessible Streets Package released today would put disabled people at risk and make our footpaths more dangerous places for them.

“Allowing bicycles and powered devices traveling up to 15 km an hour on our footpaths will put many people, including disabled people, elderly and children at risk of harm and is contrary to international expert advice,” DPA Chief Executive Prudence Walker warns.

“Our footpaths need to both feel safe and be safe for all pedestrians, including disabled people who may not hear or see people on powered devices or who may not be able to move quickly to avoid collision.

“This package will make disabled people feel even less safe than at present.”

DPA Policy Advisor Bronwyn Haines has a mobility impairment and says sharing a path with bicycles and scooters scares her.

“I avoid the shared path around Oriental Parade because it’s scary being around bikes and scooters that are going so much faster and moving in unpredictable ways, Ms Haines says.

“You feel like you are more at risk of falling over or being knocked over.”

“With this package, essentially every footpath would become a shared path.”

The United Nations Convention on the Rights Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) requires the government to take measures to ensure that disabled people have equal access to our streets and transportation. These rules do the opposite, decreasing access and making it harder than it already is for disabled people to get around safely.

DPA urges the Associate Minister for Transport to take the concerns of disabled people seriously and remove these proposals.

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