By Shirlyn Belden
A research has recommended that town planners must consider the needs of people with disability as they are equal partners in national development.
The “Disability inclusive road development project” said limitations threatening people with disabilities when using public roads had severely limited their access to public services.
The limitations or dangers included heavy traffic, broken and narrow pavements, open drains, limited crossings, obscure road signs, careless driving, roadside car parks, drunk drivers, limited roadside rails, limited bus stop shelters and limited roadside ramps.
The project is calling for serious consideration by urban planning authorities to include the basic needs of people with disabilities when making developments for safe access to public amenities.
“Road planning must include disabled people.
“There is a great need for road improvements in the country and that must include people with disabilities,” Papua New Guinea Assembly of Disabled Persons chairman Ipul Poweseu said.
The project was conducted in April and May last year and results were compiled and presented two weeks ago by partner associate Professor Carolyne Whitzman of Melbourne University, Australia.
The research was an initiative of the PNG Assembly of Disabled Persons and assisted by numerous partners in terms of logistic and funding.
It was carried out by people with disabilities in Lae, Goroka, Port Moresby, Madang and Kavieng through interviewing and self-identifying of road hazards that threatened them.
The project aims to access needs of people with disabilities in the country by using results to develop guidelines to support disability inclusive infrastructure in road developments, contribute evidence base for disability inclusive infrastructure development in Asia-Pacific, develop training packages for inclusive road planning and development and identify and provide to road infrastructure authorities to include in planning.
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