The steps of the Paris metro, paralympic athlete's real challenge
Two things are missing in France right now: a new government and accessible public transport for people with disabilities. As Paris is currently hosting the Paralympic Games, reports in French media reveal that the French capital has only 29 wheelchair-accessible metro stations out of 300.
Special shuttles and staff assistance are being provided during the Games for those needing greater accessibility, but the century-old Paris metro remains a major weak point in terms of inclusivity. Paris ranks as the worst city in Western Europe for metro accessibility according to an analysis by a British national newspaper.
After hosting 400 athletes with disabilities and millions of tourists, the prospect of renovating the metro – requiring billions in funding and more than a decade of work – is finally being considered.
The Olympics have historically driven host cities to become more inclusive. The 2012 Games in London marked a major leap forward in disabled access to public transport, although only a third of the city's underground stations are accessible for wheelchair users today. In Barcelona, the first wheelchair-adapted buses were introduced during the 1992 Games, and since then, nearly all metro stations have been made fully wheelchair accessible.
Accessibility to public transport in Europe remains highly unequal between cities. Many are far from achieving the 100% metro accessibility seen in Vienna, Amsterdam, Stockholm, and Helsinki. And unfortunately, there aren't enough Olympic Games to make it happen quicker.