When physical exclusion is also geographical: An example of the difficulties associated with accessibility to shops in a rural town centre

Abstract

The difficulties affecting the movement of people with reduced mobility are the result of a non-compatibility of the physical environment and their individual characteristics. The mobility potential of an elderly, visually impaired or wheelchair user is limited by physical and spatial obstacles and physical barriers preventing them from travelling. While the trend is towards the closure of businesses in rural town centers and the difficulties in applying accessibility standards, what are the links between physical exclusion produced by an inaccessible environment and geographical exclusion linked to living in a rural center without local shops and services?. © 2020 Universite des Sciences et Technologiques de Lille. All rights reserved.