Vienna shopping streets: accessibility remains an unfulfilled dream!

Vienna shopping streets: accessibility remains an unfulfilled dream!

A current study by the ÖZIV Federal Association shows that accessibility on Vienna's shopping streets has made little progress in the last ten years. The only exception is Mariahilfer Straße, which has seen continuous improvements. According to the study, less than half of the entrances have step-free access, which contradicts the requirements of the Disability Equality Act, which has banned barriers, including step-free entrances to shops, since 2016. ÖZIV has been regularly analyzing accessibility in Vienna's shopping streets since 2014 and has not identified any general improvements for 2024.

The results of the study show that in 2022, 41.7% of business entrances were step-free, but in 2024 this proportion fell to just 35.5%. This could be partly due to a limited sample. What is particularly worrying is that 47.7% of entrances have steps, 11.8% have two steps and 5% have three or more steps. On Mariahilfer Straße, the proportion of step-free entrances has improved from 64% in 2014 to 79.9% in 2024. In contrast, Lerchenfelder Straße only has 17.7% step-free shops and Josefstädter Straße only 23.6%.

Disappointment with progress

Rudolf Kravanja, President of ÖZIV, expresses his disappointment at the lack of progress since 2014 and appeals to those involved to take initiatives to improve accessibility. It should be noted that for most stores that have a step, accessibility could be achieved relatively easily through structural modifications such as ramps. However, these structural measures often fail due to the necessary building permits, says Kravanja.

Federal initiative for accessibility

In the context of accessibility, the federal government has increasingly devoted itself to breaking down barriers. In November 2022, she passed a cabinet decision that defines accessibility as a cross-departmental and cross-level task. These steps are part of the federal accessibility initiative, which is coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (BMAS). The aim of this initiative is to enable people with disabilities to realize their right to full participation in all areas of life.

Since the initiative was launched, numerous measures have been implemented to improve accessibility in various areas of life. The obligation to create barrier-free environments remains for both the federal government and the states and municipalities. The Federal Accessibility Initiative is open-ended and works at various levels to ensure the participation of people with disabilities, as BMAS reports.

In summary, the current situation in Vienna shows that despite some positive developments on Mariahilfer Straße, the majority of shopping streets continue to have significant barriers for people with disabilities. This illustrates the urgent need for effective initiatives to improve accessibility in the capital in order to meet legal requirements and increase the quality of life of all citizens, as vienna.at notes and ORF Wien reported.