Michel Brouat of the Association of the Paralyzed of France (APF) toured Nîmes in a wheelchair to take stock of the accessibility of the roads. Zoom in on some key locations.
“A gravel for you, it can be a rock for us.” Michel Brouat of the APF is part of the Nîmes Accessibility Commission. Last Thursday, he toured the city in his electric wheelchair. Starting point, Feuchères station. The entire perimeter has been redone.
At the request of the APF, the parking spaces for people with reduced mobility (PRM) have been made more accessible, thanks to bevelled edges. Most of the bumps are at the same level as the roadway, but in other places it is “exceptional tolerances”. In other words, risky for an electric wheelchair, almost impossible for a manual wheelchair.
Access to shops
What disabled people do not want to hear, according to Michel Brouat, is “I come to help you.” Any establishment open to the public (ERP) must be accessible to people with disabilities, according to the “accessibility” law of 2005, unless there is an exemption. Some places do not meet the criteria.
In other, “there is the norm but not the custom” according to Mr Brouat, evoking for example ramps that are too steep. On the other hand, several have pre-reindeer ramps. This is the case of the brandade house, where Mylène Mouton, elected official of the City, works. “Some are playing the game” designs Mr Brouat.
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The Esplanade
Michel Brouat mentions recurring requests for the development of monuments. Positive point: the explanatory panels are at the right height for a person in a wheelchair. On the other hand, to access the Christmas market, the passage of the gutter is a problem “not solved yet”, despite requests from the APF “ for 7-8 years.
The arenas
With nil jumps almost everywhere on the main boulevards, crossing the street is quite easy. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the boulevard des Arènes, several obstacles: first a transverse slope exceeds the standards (no more than 2%) and makes the course uncomfortable or even dangerous.
In addition, the terrace of Le Cheval Blanc restaurant reduces the circulation space below the regulatory 1.40 m. The problem of terraces and shops that are spread over the road is recurrent. Even on the main boulevards, several tables or advertisements exceed their respective markings on the ground. These would be real obstacles for people with reduced mobility, but also for the elderly or the visually impaired.
“That’s the south quips Mr. Brouat. According to him, the town hall should oblige traders who occupy a public space (eg a terrace) to provide access to people with reduced mobility. However, in the city center, this is far from being the case everywhere (see below).
City center
Despite the obstacles and the lack of accessibility to several shops, some places score points: the garden of the museum of Old Nîmes recently refurbished, the cathedral and the cascading passage of the museum at Place du Chapitre. “It’s up to standard, functional and beautiful!”
But “nonsense” are presented. In rue Bigot, a sidewalk has been lowered to allow people with reduced mobility to climb up. But halfway, the staircase of an apartment makes the passage impossible. A chair must therefore turn around. Unacceptable according to Mr. Brouat.
In addition, the lack of facilities to go up or down the pavement is not uncommon. Pascale Loison, of the French Myopathy Association, admits that she sometimes finds herself “stuck on a sidewalk”.
Boulevard Jean-Jaures
Upstream of the work on the T2 line, the voice of the APF was taken into account. Concerted, the Accessibility commission issued recommendations on the paths, the jumps… Mr. Brouat admits that the City “made efforts to include us in the discussions”.
Véronique Jouve Sammut, municipal councillor, disability and accessibility delegate.
The City is a candidate for the “Destination for all” label…
Few cities ask for this label in the Gard. It is a progressive approach, graduated on three levels: bronze, silver, gold, valid for five years renewable. We have been doing everything for several years to make the course completely accessible, and to ensure that the locations are respected by the merchants. I regularly send emails and requests to remind traders not to put signs in the middle.
Is Nîmes “accessible”?
As in any city, there are constraints: the monuments, the narrow streets… When we are told of a jump, we try to smooth it out as far as the technical constraints allow. But they are also useful for people with a white cane. There are constraints in relation to the architect of the buildings of France. He imposes things, you can’t do exactly what you want.
What can you say about the parking spaces?
A disabled place is not a coat of paint on the ground. There has to be a certain width and a ramp next to it. In Nîmes, the proportion of disabled spaces is higher than the quota (7% compared to the 2% imposed). Unfortunately, there are often those who use another person’s badge, such as the grandfather who died. It is very difficult to control.
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