Daniela Schembri has often had to return back home empty-handed after finding a car blocking her access to a shop’s pavement.
Ultimately it makes everyone’s lives a little bit better
And despite planning her evenings out well beforehand, it is not the first time that the many obstacles leave her with no choice but to turn back.
It is often little things we take for granted, like switches installed too high, very steep ramps, narrow doorways and poles blocking access to a pavement, that limit disabled people’s independence, the 27-year-old tells The Times.
Born with spina bifida, Ms Schembri has been using a wheelchair for as long as she remembers, and sometimes walks short distances on crutches.
She is now the president of Living Ability, Not Disability (Land) – an NGO set up in 2002 to promote the concept of independent living.
The group organises weekend breaks at Dar l-Arka in Gozo for its members, who are accompanied by volunteers. Since the respite home is equipped for disabled people, the group this year decided to “experiment” and take its activity to a hotel in the north of Malta. They were then divided in three groups that set off for a day out in Sliema, Buġibba and Valletta.
“We encountered the first problems when we went to board the bus. The new public service is a dream come true... but more still needs to be done,” the young woman told The Times.
Ramps remain a headache, and are not always strong enough to bear the weight of a wheelchair, she said, recalling an incident when a ramp broke as she was boarding a bus.
Sometimes disabled commuters have to phone up the service provider before setting out on a trip so that the dispatched bus is accessible, because not all vehicles are equipped with a ramp.
A number of pavements in Valletta remain inaccessible, while most of the shops have a high front step.
“It is understandable that the front steps cannot be altered because some buildings are protected due to the locality’s historical heritage. But they could install small temporary ramps so that disabled people can access shops, instead of waiting for salespeople to come out of the shop to serve them,” Ms Schembri added.
Asked whether young disabled people have easy access to places frequented by their peers, including clubs and restaurants, Ms Schembri admitted she feels limited not only about the places to go to, but also the time she may go out.
“Often, I have to rely on my father to pick me up, because public transport is not always reliable, and the cab service is expensive.”
Cinemas are out of the question because apart from being limited to particular screens, wheelchair spaces are often limited to two.
Things seem to be improving, Ms Schembri said, but it is often frustrating when disabled people’s choices are limited because others take physical accessibility for granted.
This includes poles erected in the middle of pavements and elevator buttons installed too high for a person to reach from a wheelchair. Sometimes shops and restaurants are accessible, but when it comes to the restrooms, the doorways are too narrow.
“Accessibility is important for everyone, including the elderly and people with pushchairs. Ultimately it makes everyone’s lives a little bit better.”