This Post has the purpose of presenting outstanding data on 2 relevant aspects. The first (Unit A) is to show the results of the research that I have carried out on the official organizations and departments of countries worldwide that are in charge of making effective the laws, regulations and provisions in relation to the construction of urban infrastructure, which guarantee and facilitate movement. comfortable and easy for people through walking, belonging to the social sector who have reduced mobility; and second (Unit B), observe the progress that has been made in the activity of traveling by bicycle, as an element that will serve as a pattern (template) to achieve some goals regarding what we should do in the future, with respect to walking.
Regarding the first aspect, the rules and provisions that those countries have issued that currently govern the design and construction of urban infrastructure, buildings, facilities and public spaces, recreational sites and areas, are presented, in general terms, urban facilities, squares and commercial buildings, multi-family housing and public transportation, to facilitate the mobility of this social sphere in a safe way, moving on foot
The social group of people we are referring to is those who have reduced mobility when walking, either due to age (older adults (1)) or who have some physical impediment to walking in an easy and comfortable way.
The second scenario emerges as a relevant element to analyze and confront because progress has been made in some countries, especially in Holland (Amsterdam and Ultrech), in the use of the bicycle as a fundamental means of individual transportation, and its study will allow us knowing its structural mechanisms and will also serve as a pattern to imitate in some general and specific proposals of the new paradigm of walking.
This post is the continuation of Post THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM AND PEOPLE WITH REDUCED MOBILITY, and also a core part of the series of 9 posts, titled “NEW WALKING PARADIGM”, a set of Posts that will lead us precisely to constitute the New Paradigm that we will build throughout this Blog.
Its development, regarding the first aspect, consists of 3 clearly defined and differentiated scenarios:
1. The group of people with limited mobility who cannot walk due to having both lower limbs in poor condition.
2. The group of people who can walk but one of their lower limbs is not in good physical condition and needs a crutch or cane for support.
3. The group of people who have their 2 lower extremities in good condition, can walk, but have some limitation in their mobility that makes it difficult for them to do so or prevents them from doing it normally, such as loss of vision in one or the other both eyes, problems with the hips, the spine, etc.
In general we could refer to these 3 scenarios as the group of people who have limited or reduced mobility for the practice of walking.
Although we could well include the elderly, we have decided not to do so in order to analyze it separately, although it contains very similar aspects.
To address these 3 scenarios, we have resorted to the available information and regulations and their specific analysis, in order to achieve their resolution in the “here and now”, defining those interdisciplinary actions (2) that are aimed at structuring the New paradigm that allows us to attend -permanently- to the needs of this social sector.
To address the problem with the resources and legal provisions that we currently have, we said in Post THE WALK-RWD SYSTEM AND PEOPLE WITH REDUCED MOBILITY: “…it will be addressed with the technical and regulatory mechanisms that we have at the present moment. I will allow myself to comment on all of them to the best of my ability. Legal provisions vary from one country to another, from one city to another, from one town to another; so each person must investigate this information in their place of residence (technical and legal), as well as about the services, supports and technical, engineering and architectural assistance that can be obtained for this social category, in order to better carry out this fundamental practice. It will depend on each person according to their physical-social position and where they are.”
We also expressed in the same Post: “We will achieve the second scenario – in a plural way – through an invitation that I have already made through several posts that belong to a series of them that will lead us to define a NEW PARADIGM IN WALKING [ …]. The incorporation of this social group in the integration of this new paradigm has a relevance of the first order, and therefore its great problems must be incorporated in the legal provisions, as well as in urban planning and architectural engineering projects, forever and in a manner continued.”
Likewise we said: “Regarding the efforts that have been made, I have been able to detect very significant results (substantial, transcendent), both in propositional documents and in practical programs, which I will present.”
There is the United Nations Organization WHO, WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, which has the central function of seeking to care for the world population within certain frameworks of acceptable health. And one of those scenarios is to transmit the importance of exercising, that human beings must exercise permanently. However, I believe that in the immediate future it will be necessary to seek to address this sector with greater acquiescence, conveying that all member countries of the United Nations must focus on legislating within their legislative frameworks the timely attention of this social class.
As we can imagine, the technical, functional and legal regulatory information is dispersed in different orders in the different countries that have advanced in this area. I have dedicated myself – according to my possibilities – to obtaining this information in the countries that have it, synthesizing it, which I present in an accessible and brief manner in the following sections (blocks, modules, groupings).
Regardless of this effort, the inclusion within WHO of the incorporation of universal precepts containing a legislative framework should be considered, so that they can serve as a reference for all countries worldwide.
The practice of walking should be incorporated as one of the human rights that the UN has deployed worldwide.
Furthermore, it could be incorporated into an administrative and executive department in the same WHO organization, so that this social sector is better served at a global level.
This organization must extend its regulatory provisions in all areas and to all countries in the world. It may sound like a chimera, but it is worth trying, since there are several instances from a technological point of view that can help almost 100% of the people who make up this social group, at a universal level.
It is necessary to implement specific education in this sense (Future Post ENGINEERING, PEDAGOGY OR PSYCHOLOGY OF WALKING) that leads humanity to strengthen this fundamental activity of the human being, transmitting an education, through scientific instruction and financial support. That is to say, it must focus on this social sector, and propose the guidelines and principles for its operation, which is oriented to people in these 3 scenarios, and must also include the category of elderly people who have problems very similar to these, and that they must also be supported with specific legislation, at the international level and in each country of origin.
At a global level, there are various international treaties and conventions that establish rights and standards in the social sector of disabled people. Some of the most important are:
• Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol: This United Nations treaty establishes the rights and freedoms of persons with disabilities and focuses on ensuring their full and effective inclusion and participation in society.
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights: This document establishes the fundamental and universal rights of all people, including people with disabilities.
• Council of Europe Recommendation R (99) 5: This recommendation sets out basic standards for the protection of the rights of people with disabilities in Europe and advocates a rights-based approach to the inclusion of people with disabilities in society.
These international instruments establish a legal framework to protect the rights of people with disabilities and guarantee their accessibility to society, including the construction of accessible infrastructure for their mobility.
EUROPE
At the level of the European Continent, there are several provisions and regulations that establish specific standards for the social sphere of disabled people:
• EU Directive on equal opportunities and accessibility for people with disabilities: This directive establishes minimum standards to guarantee equal opportunities and accessibility for people with disabilities in the European Union space.
• Oviedo Convention: This Council of Europe convention establishes the rights of people with disabilities and focuses on the protection of their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
• Accessibility and non-discrimination law for people with disabilities in Spain: This law establishes the rules to guarantee the accessibility and non-discrimination of people with disabilities in Spain, including the construction of accessible infrastructure for their mobility.
• Law on equal opportunities and accessibility for people with disabilities in Germany: This law establishes the rules to guarantee equal opportunities and accessibility for people with disabilities in Germany, including the construction of accessible infrastructure for their mobility.
These European regulations and laws establish a legal framework to protect the rights of people with disabilities, guaranteeing and facilitating their accessibility to society.
Furthermore, in Europe, there are several provisions and regulations that establish standards in the social sector for the disabled in relation to urban constructions to facilitate the walking of people with disabilities, here I mention some examples:
• EU Directive on equal opportunities and accessibility for people with disabilities: This directive establishes minimum standards to guarantee equal opportunities and accessibility in the European Union, including the accessibility of urban buildings.
• Accessibility and non-discrimination law for people with disabilities in Spain: This law establishes standards to guarantee the accessibility and non-discrimination of people with disabilities in Spain, including the construction of accessible buildings for their mobility.
• Law on equal opportunities and accessibility for people with disabilities in Germany: This law establishes standards to ensure equal opportunities and accessibility for people with disabilities in Germany, including the construction of buildings accessible for their mobility.
• Accessibility regulation in Switzerland: This regulation establishes standards to ensure the accessibility of public buildings and constructions in Switzerland for people with disabilities.
These European regulations and laws establish a legal framework to protect the rights of people with disabilities and guarantee their accessibility to society, including the construction of buildings and urban constructions accessible for their mobility.
Also in Europe, in some countries, there are regulations and provisions on urban infrastructure that establish standards for the social group of disabled people in terms of urban infrastructure constructions such as streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps, signage, etc. , regarding making it easier for people in this sector to walk.
Likewise, in the European Union there is the European Directive on accessibility for people with disabilities and older people to buildings and other public spaces, which establishes specific standards to guarantee accessibility in the construction of urban infrastructure. In addition, there are specific regulations in each European country that regulate accessibility in buildings and other public spaces. Some European countries, such as Spain, have national laws that implement this Directive and establish specific requirements for the construction of public roads, ramps, signs, etc. for people with disabilities.
In Germany, the legal framework for accessibility for people with disabilities is found in the Federal Act for the Equality of People with Disabilities and Disabilities (Behindertengleichstellungsgesetz). This law establishes standards to guarantee the accessibility of public infrastructure, including streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps and signs. Furthermore, the Technical Building Code (Building Code – DIN 18040) specifically establishes the requirements for accessibility in the construction of buildings and public spaces. These regulations apply to new construction and significant renovations, and establish requirements in terms of road width, ramp slope, switch height, and other features to ensure accessibility for people with disabilities.
In Norway, there are several regulations that establish standards for the construction of urban infrastructure accessible to people with disabilities. Some of these regulations include:
• The Accessibility and Universal Design Law, which establishes the obligation of local authorities and public companies to ensure accessibility and support for people with disabilities.
• The Technical Standards for Accessibility and Universal Design, which establish accessibility requirements in the construction of buildings, including ramps,
In Norway, the regulation that regulates accessibility in urban infrastructure for people with disabilities is the “Building Regulation”. This regulation establishes specific requirements for the construction of streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps and signage, to guarantee accessibility and safety for people with disabilities. In addition, there are specific regulations and standards for the construction of buildings and public spaces, including accessibility in elevators and escalators. The implementation of these regulations is overseen by the local building authority.
In England and the United Kingdom, the regulations that regulate accessibility in urban infrastructure for people with disabilities are the “Building Regulations” and the “Equality Act”. The “Building Regulations” establish requirements for the construction of streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps and signage, to guarantee accessibility and safety for people with disabilities. The Equality Act is a broader law that addresses discrimination in the workplace and in access to goods and services, including accessibility in urban infrastructure. The implementation of these regulations is overseen by the local building authority and the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Finally, in France, the regulation that regulates accessibility in urban infrastructure for people with disabilities is the “Loi Handicap” or Disability Law. This law establishes specific requirements for the construction of streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps and signs, to guarantee accessibility and safety for people with disabilities. In addition, there are specific regulations and standards for the construction of buildings and public spaces, including accessibility in elevators and escalators. The implementation of these regulations is overseen by the local building authority.
NORTH AMERICA
In the United States of America there are Regulations and Provisions that establish standards in the social sector for the disabled in terms of urban constructions regarding facilitating walking for people in this sector.
The main regulation in the United States that establishes standards for the social status of people with disabilities is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This law requires that public and commercial buildings be accessible to people with disabilities and that certain accessibility standards be met in building construction, including ramps, elevators, adapted bathrooms, and signage. Similar standards also apply to the construction of multifamily housing under the Fair Housing Act.
Likewise, there are regulations and provisions in the United States of America that establish standards in the social class of disabled people regarding the construction of urban infrastructure such as streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps, signs, etc., with respect to facilitating the walk the people of this sector.
In the United States, the law that establishes standards for the disabled category regarding the construction of urban infrastructure is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This law establishes requirements for the construction of streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps, signs, etc., with the aim of facilitating walking for people with disabilities. Additionally, the ADA also sets standards for accessibility in buildings and other public spaces. All new public and private buildings, as well as public transportation facilities, must meet ADA accessibility standards.
In Canada, the primary law that establishes regulations for building accessibility for people with disabilities is the Accessibility for People with Disabilities Act of Ontario (AODA). This law establishes that organizations must make their buildings, products and services accessible to people with disabilities. This includes the construction of ramps, elevators, adapted bathrooms, signage and other elements that facilitate access for people with disabilities. Additionally, the AODA states that organizations must provide training to their employees on how to provide an accessible service to people with disabilities. The AODA is administered by the Ontario Accessibility Commission, which is responsible for enforcing the law and providing technical assistance to organizations.
Likewise, in Canada, the law that establishes standards in the disability social sector regarding the construction of urban infrastructure is the Ontario Disability Support Program Act (ODSPA). The ODSPA establishes requirements for the construction of streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps, signs, etc., with the aim of facilitating walking for people with disabilities. In addition, the ODSPA also sets standards for accessibility in buildings and other public spaces, and applies to all provinces and territories in Canada. All new public and private buildings, as well as public transportation facilities, must meet accessibility standards established by the ODSPA.
SOUTH AMERICA AND CENTRAL AMERICA
There are regulations and provisions in some countries in South America and Central America that establish norms in the social sphere of disabled people in terms of urban constructions with respect to facilitating walking for people of this class, they are noted below:
Those countries in South and Central America that have standards similar to the ADA are the following:
• Argentina: The Law on the Integration of People with Disabilities establishes universal accessibility as a right and requires that public and private constructions meet certain accessibility standards.
• Brazil: The Inclusão da Pessoa com Deficiência Law establishes universal accessibility as a right and requires that public and private constructions meet certain accessibility standards.
• Mexico: The General Law of Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities and the Elderly requires that public and private buildings meet certain accessibility standards and that accessibility be provided to persons with disabilities.
• Colombia: Law 361 of 1997 establishes universal accessibility as a right and requires that public and private constructions meet certain accessibility standards.
These countries also have government agencies charged with enforcing these laws and regulations, and offering technical assistance to homeowners and builders to ensure accessibility in buildings.
RUSSIA
In Russia, the law that establishes standards in the social sphere of disabled people regarding the construction of urban infrastructure is the Federal Law of the Russian Federation on the social inclusion of people with disabilities and improving their quality of life. This law establishes requirements for the construction of streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps, signs, etc., with the aim of facilitating walking for people with disabilities. In addition, the law also establishes standards for accessibility in buildings and other public spaces. All new public and private buildings, as well as public transport facilities, must meet accessibility standards established by law.
JAPAN
In Japan, legislation for accessibility for people with disabilities is found in the Act on the Promotion of Measures to Remove Barriers Facing Persons with Disabilities. This law establishes standards for the construction of accessible infrastructure for people with disabilities, including streets, roads, sidewalks, accesses, ramps and signs. In addition, Japan’s Ministry of Construction and Transportation has established technical standards for the construction of accessible infrastructure, including requirements for ramp slope, road width, and signage. These standards apply to new construction and significant renovations. These regulations are designed to ensure that people with disabilities can move safely and accessible in urban infrastructure.
CHINA
In China, there are various regulations that establish standards for the construction of urban infrastructure accessible to people with disabilities. Some of these regulations include:
• The Law on the Protection of Persons with Disabilities of the People’s Republic of China, which establishes the obligation of local authorities and public enterprises to ensure accessibility and support for people with disabilities.
• The Regulations for the construction of buildings for people with disabilities, which establish accessibility requirements in the construction of buildings, including ramps, elevators, signage, etc.
• The Traffic Sign Regulation for People with Disabilities, which sets out the requirements for traffic signs accessible to people with disabilities.
These regulations seek to ensure that urban infrastructure is accessible and safe for all people, including those with disabilities.
Most of these provisions and regulations that we have mentioned established in different countries refer in general to disability, but do not specifically refer to the activity of walking.
Of course, they do implicitly include it, however, I believe that they should be more explicit about this activity -not only for the disabled or those with reduced mobility-, but for older adults and other citizens, in such a way that we find the future – which is just around the corner – with regulations that give greater comfort and safety to walkers in all these spaces (2).
Our work will continue to develop these tasks until we have an adequate model to implement at a universal level.
Likewise, the human rights embodied in the United Nations only talk about the Law of people with disabilities and the Law of older adults, which is the topic that concerns us in this Post, however, our final objective is WALKING. The Right to freedom of movement gives us the freedom to move but there is no SECURITY (3) when moving WALKING.
The format that WALK21 has used seems very appropriate to me. Its 8 strategic principles that it points out in its International Walking Charter seem to me to place us on an appropriate path to achieve a universal culture of walking, as it points out in its 8th principle.
In the near future we will have to join forces to legislate on this fundamental human activity at a global level.
(1) In future Post SUBSTITUTE EXERCISES IN PART OF THE PRACTICE OF WALKING we present a series of exercises that can help people who cannot practice walking because they have restricted physical mobility; likewise, in the future Post RECOMMENDED EXERCISES IN CASE YOU DON’T GO FOR A WALK ONE DAY, it could be used since it also consists of exercises for people who can walk perfectly, but one day they didn’t want to do it, and for them those are recommended exercises.
(2) Loya Lopátegui, Carlos, Walking: Redefining the Future of Humanity, EMULISA, Mexico, 2024. Available on Amazon, Kindle Edition: https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0DNGLS67N. The general objectives achieved in this book are the following: a) Propose a comprehensive forecast on the role of walking in the next five decades and design architectural, urban and technological solutions that revitalize this activity: This essay analyzes walking in its deepest dimensions, proposing a forecast that not only considers the challenges, but also the opportunities that the future offers for those who travel on foot. From an architectural and urban framework, and with the help of constantly evolving technologies, we propose solutions that allow walking to be revitalized as a daily practice in human living environments. Innovative ideas are explored to redesign cities and rural spaces, integrating systems and structures that promote walking as a fundamental activity for people’s physical, mental and social health. This essay aspires to propose a model of pedestrian space that includes safety, accessibility, beauty and comfort, and that is adapted to the needs of a diverse and constantly changing population. b) Analyze the concept of pedestrian safety from a holistic perspective: Pedestrian safety, understood here in its broadest sense, represents much more than accident prevention. It involves a comprehensive approach to protection and well-being at every step, addressing essential factors such as road design, interaction with other urban elements, the presence of adequate rest areas, well-distributed accesses, and the inclusion of signage and technologies that facilitate an experience of safe and reliable walking. Thus, safety does not only refer to physical infrastructure, but to a system of conditions and measures that allow all people—regardless of age, gender, physical ability or context—to feel supported and safe when traveling on foot.
(3) Loya Lopátegui, Carlos, Walking: Redefining the Future of Humanity, EMULISA, Mexico, 2024, pp. 40-56