Vauclusian Paraplegic Fights Town Hall Over Steep Access Ramps at Avignon Station

In front of the station square which is still under construction, Amaury Martin looks at one of the two new access ramps for people with disabilities. Paraplegic from birth, This Vauclusian is angry with the town hall of Avignon, he cannot take this famous rampalthough it is designed for people in this position, because it is too steep.

Ramps too steep

On this windy Saturday afternoon, this 34-year-old man from Vaucluse leaves on the ramp just a few meters away from his retirement: “I can’t go up, the slope is too steep for me and If I don’t have someone with me there is a risk of my wheelchair falling.“

However, when this construction was announced, Amaury Martin was very happy, until then people with disabilities had no access to Avignon central station. But the Vauclusian soon became disaffected: “Of course I realized I couldn’t take them, so I can’t get to the station alone, I must be accompanied by a third person.“

As soon as he understood, Amaury called the town hall she replied that it was too late to do anything, the work, which must be completed by June, is already too far advanced. “There is no coordination between the town hall and people with reduced mobility”regret the thirty years of age.

The solution to a lawsuit?

But Amaury does not admit that he is certain: “We must find solutions so that we, people with disabilities, can move from point A to point B. It is a right but above all communities must put themselves at the service of the people.”

The Vauclusian is now expected submit an appeal to the administrative court of Nîmes request that the access ramps to the station be restored. Avignon town hall announced at the beginning of March that work on the station would be completed in June, before the summer. Total budget for this work: almost 16 million euros.

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