The role of urban and social factors in the accessibility of urban areas for people with motor and visual disabilities

Abstract

The accessibility of urban areas and pedestrian networks is closely linked to the ease with which people can move in their environment. This depend on environmental factors, and can be divided into physical or social factors. An optimal integrated analysis of accessibility requires the analysis of both types of factors, social and physical. The research is based on preliminary research in which the persons with disabilities are asked to comment on problems and elements of accessibility in public space. Based on the answers, the survey was formed about the problems and solutions for accessibility in opens spaces of pedestrian traffic. The survey was oriented to persons with mobility and visual disability and aims to highlight the criticalities and benefits produced by three different urban spaces, such as parking lots, streets and squares and also to grade the perceived importance of various problems and solutions by persons with disabilities (motor and visual).