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Disabled Sydney
Sydney is, as a
world class capital city should be, aware of the special needs of the
disabled traveller, and the state government is agreeably pro-active in
promoting the disabled cause.
Hotel
accommodation is available care of the main international chains such as
Hyatt, Holiday Inn and Ramada. It should be reasonably easy to find
suitable accommodation at other hotels - Sydney is a modern city and the
hoteliers are not keen on turning paying customers away! If you are on a
tight budget then you should find the YHA hostels accommodating.
One of
the biggest boons is the increasing proliferation of modern buses which
have a hydraulic action which can be activated should a disabled or infirm
person wish to board the bus. The process is simple and does not delay the
bus at all. Many drivers operate the hydraulics as a matter of course when
stopping. There are also room on these buses for wheelchairs. This is
particularly useful since the underground railway stations in the CBD are
not particularly disabled friendly on account of their escalators and
stairs.
Some
stations have been overhauled recently, but at present there are only
plans for wheelchair access at Circular Quay. Other trains, on "CountryLink"
routes in particular (to other parts of NSW), are more accommodating as
they have at least one carriage on hand where seats have been removed to
allow wheelchair users easy, comfortable and relatively hassle-free
access.
Getting
around by cab is another option. There are an increasing number of taxis
specially designed to take wheelchairs. They are the impressive looking
converted Ford Falcons that can regularly be seen roaming around the city,
boasting enlarged rear-ends for easy access. If you are ringing for a cab,
make sure that they know your requirements. There are supposed to be 120
of these cabs on the road, though reports suggest that the take-up is not
one hundred percent on the part of the cabbies, so be prepared to wait.
As with
any large city, the pavements in the shopping areas can get very
congested, though a recent flurry of street works designed to ready the
city for the 2000 Olympics, the situation is likely to improve matters as
the city council has tried to create wider walkways for all. Crossing the
road can be a bit of a nightmare for anyone as the roads are extremely
busy and generally consist of three lane one-way streets.
The
blind and visually impaired should note that there are traffic lights at
almost every intersection and that they are equipped with an audible
signal that sounds like it has fallen out of a sci-fi film.
Major
public buildings have been adapted for wheelchairs so there should not be
too much of a problem in getting in to the city's principle attractions.
Most places also have disabled toilet facilities. On the down side, there
are many restaurants located on upper floors which are not accessible for
lots people - check before you book that you and your party will be able
to get to the table.
Sydney
is not a world leader in championing the disabled cause, but you should
find that with a little research, your visit to the city does not require
too many compromises. These organisations will be able to help:
ACROD (Australian
Council for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled
Australian
Transport Council
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