A quartet of wheelchair-bound Launceston locals have added their voice to a rallying cry to express their frustration about ongoing accessibility issues in the city.
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Scott Claridge, Nick Milner and Minna Blaney have cerebral palsy, and Carolina Ascui has spina bifida.
All four say they are fed up with the lack of consideration for people in wheelchairs.
The group, part of SpeakOut disability advocacy, shared their stories in the wake of Launceston man Michael Mitchell and Ravenswood woman Emma Butler detailing how they are affected by lacking accessibility on a regular basis.
Thirty-four-year-old Ms Blaney has had to get by in her wheelchair for her whole life and said she was still faced with similar barrier as she had been forever.
"People think we don't exist," she said.
"It's like they think people in a wheelchair don't have a right to go out or don't need to go to the shops to buy things."
Along with difficulties she faced when picking up everyday items at the supermarket, Ms Blaney said the availability of disabled toilets in Launceston CBD was poor.
"There are not enough disabled toilets. You've got to go to the other side of town just to go to the toilet," she said.
"And sometimes you just don't make it in time."
Ms Blaney said poor footpath infrastructure had caused her to fall from her chair multiple times and the amount of time pedestrian crossings stayed green for was often not long enough for her to navigate the crossing safely.
Mr Claridge echoed Ms Blaney's comments.
He said there were times he did not bother to leave his house because he knew he would confront a situation in which he was reminded of his disability.
I find it very hard to go to the supermarket. I avoid it like the plague.
- Scott Claridge
Mr Milner said a common barrier he faced was having to navigate non-automated doors which prevented him from accessing buildings.
Ms Ascui said it was not just infrastructure considerations that failed to address disability needs, but general awareness of the community.
She said she had almost been knocked out of her chair by people rushing to get past her or cruising by on their bikes.
According to the City of Launceston's 2020 Access Framework, 4190 people in the city reported needing help in their day-to-day lives due to disability.
The quartet agreed there was a lacking overall consideration for the significant population of people with a disability in the city.
They said from toilets, to footpaths, to disabled carparks, to building entrances, their day-to-day lives were harder because of a lack of consideration for their needs.
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Launceston Mayor Albert van Zetten said the council continued towards making Launceston a more accessible city.
Alongside the Access Framework, the council maintained a disability access committee.
At a recent council meeting the committee called for further assistance to help meet its goals.
Mr van Zetten said the council had completed $1.2 million worth of footpath upgrades in the past 12 months along with several other accessibility-minded works completed or commenced.
"The Council has this year constructed the city's first Changing Places accessible bathroom with hoist and changing table in the Paterson St West Car Park, is progressing plans for a new accessible eastern entrance to the Albert Hall and planning accessibility upgrades for the Princess Theatre," he said.
"We provide accessibility options wherever possible in our community facilities and public spaces, including access ramps and rails, elevators, accessible play equipment, tactile markers, and more."
If you have experienced any accessibility issues in Launceston or Northern Tasmania email: b.duggan@examiner.com.au.
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