Make Way Day 2024

MakeWayDay2024

Make Way Day 2024 ♿

Another successful Make Way Day. Organised by Gorey Pedestrian and Cycling Association (GPCA) in conjunction with the Wexford County Council Access Department, the walk was attended by local politicians and council officials. We gathered at the Council Chambers on the 27th September. We were led around some of the busiest streets of Gorey and took special interest in areas that have been the subject of complaint.

Cars parked on footpaths, overgrowth at derelict sites, and uneven paving were some of the obstacles identified during an accessibility walk for Make Way Day in Gorey.

Make Way Day is a Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) campaign aimed at raising awareness about the challenges faced by people with disabilities in public spaces, and the role we can all play in making our towns more accessible.

Representatives from community groups such as Meals on Wheels, and the local mobility scooter company Freedom Scooters, also took part.

The route took in The Avenue, Gorey Main Street, St.Michael’s Road, and Railway Road.

Participants pointed out obstructions such as wheelie bins and street furniture on footpaths. Vehicles were observed parked on footpaths or obstructing dropped kerbs, preventing people from crossing the road safely.

Participants emphasised that it can be difficult to access and spend money at some shops and hospitality businesses in the town as entrances are not wheelchair accessible.

Dr. Vivian Rath also highlighted the importance of consulting people with disabilities during the design stage of projects, as mistakes are much more costly to fix later on.

Yvonne Weaver, who has both sight loss and hearing loss, explained that she needs to use the vibrating sensor to cross the road safely at signalised traffic lights. Some of the sensors at the junction of The Avenue and Main Street have been broken for some time, meaning Yvonne has to call on passers-by to assist her in crossing the road. She called on Wexford County Council to fix this issue.

Other problems for people with sight loss include overhanging branches, lack of tactile paving at some junctions, and uneven footpaths, which can cause a person’s cane to dig painfully into their stomach. 

A GPCA representative said that Make Way Day is about highlighting how we can all help to make our community safer and more accessible: “People can help by leaving accessible parking spaces for those who need them, not parking on footpaths or in front of dropped kerbs, picking up after our dogs, cutting back overgrowth outside our homes, and making sure bins, bicycles, signs, and street furniture don’t obstruct the footpath.”

The representative also emphasised that the walk took in only a small part of Gorey, and called on Wexford County Council to undertake a full accessibility audit of walking and wheeling infrastructure in the town to determine what repairs or adjustments need to be carried out.  

Participants on the Make Way Day walk including members of GPCA and other community groups, local councillors, and council officials.

A Make Way Day sticker placed on the windscreen of a vehicle that was blocking a footpath.

The angle of this footpath on St. Michael’s road causes wheelchairs to list to the side.

Yvonne Weaver taking part in the accessibility walk. Her cane has red and white stripes to signify both vision and hearing impairments.

Disability Federation of Ireland Meals On Wheels Gorey Wexford Local Development Freedom Scooter.ie Enable Ireland Gorey & District Lions Club Vision Ireland County Wexford PPN Wexford County Council