Beijing goes 'barrier-free' in Paralympics run-up

Global Times

1st March 2022

Beijing goes 'barrier-free' in Paralympics run-up

In the run-up to Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, the core functional areas in Beijing and its Paralympic venues have generally gone barrier-free.

Back in November 2019, Beijing issued a three-year action plan to further improve its barrier-free urban environment. Since then, it has installed barrier-free facilities in 336,000 places across the city, built 100 wheelchair-accessible streets and blocks, and 100 "convenient life circles" with services available within a 15-minute walk for residents.

The plan also focuses on improving the accessibility of the city's tactile paving, sidewalks, government affairs service centers, residential neighborhoods, and other areas concerning the everyday life of vulnerable groups.

Over the past three years, Beijing has managed to ensure that its tactile paving is generally not interrupted. Stations on Subway Lines 1 and 2 have newly installed 59 stair climbers and 142 vertical platform lifts. A total of 12,000 buses have been equipped with wheelchair-accessible facilities so that more elderly and people with disabilities can travel independently. Barrier-free facilities were also installed in a number of hospitals and public toilets.

The improvement efforts also highlight the quality of barrier-free facilities.

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