We have adequate regulations mandating the provision of accessible facilities in public facilities, our problem right now is to ensure its implementation down to the regional governmentJakarta (ANTARA) - Accessible facilities for people with disabilities in public transportation areas are mostly inadequate, transportation expert of Semarang's Soegijapranata University, Central Java, Djoko Setijowarno has stated.
"Accessible facilities for people with disabilities are inadequate and not evenly distributed, particularly outside urban areas. Regional governments' regard to the accessibility is also inadequate," Setijowarno said when contacted here on Tuesday.
He said, the government regulations have explicitly mandated the operators to provide accessible facilities.
"We have adequate regulations mandating the provision of accessible facilities in public facilities, our problem right now is to ensure its implementation down to the regional government," Setijowarno said.
Meanwhile, fellow transportation expert Darmaningtyas concurred with Setijowarno's argument. Public transportation facilities should be accessible to people with disabilities, particularly those who use a mobility aid.
"We should appreciate several transportation operators who have comprehended the necessity for accessibility by providing adequate facilities for people with disabilities. We should also pay attention to other facilities where such support is not yet available," she stated.
In addition, she noted, some other facilities should be made more user-friendly for people with disabilities.
People with disabilities often struggled to access train stations or bus stops, and others were inconvenienced by the wide gap between the train and the platform when using rail transportation, she pointed out.
She appealed to the government to supervise the implementation of accessible facilities for people with disabilities as mandated by law and committed to fulfilling disability rights of universal access, particularly on public transportation.
"I urge all stakeholders to collaborate for implementing universal access for people with disability," she stated.
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Translator: Adimas RFP, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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