Mobility issues must be resolved by Communes

(JB) The success of a new bill aimed at making Luxembourg more accessible for people with disabilities will rely heavily on local communes.

Interior minister Jean-Marie Halsdorf explained that local authorities will carry much of the responsibility for regulating the new law.

Responding to a parliamentary question about the bill proposed by déi Lénk deputy André Hoffmann, the minister said that the government would make provisions in existing laws to ensure that the UN treaty on the rights of people with disabilities is implemented.

He said: “It is worth noting that specific questions relating to safety, health and hygiene, which are objectives under the law, will be treated at municipal regulation on buildings.”

The minister explained that a list of new regulations is currently being drawn up by ministers and, when finished, will be issued to local communes.

The regulations will provide detailed guidelines on accessibility to public and private buildings for people with reduced mobility. In addition, it will look at the number of disabled parking spaces needed, the size of doorways, corridors and lifts, taps, bedrooms, changing rooms, ticket offices and the number of rooms which hotels must provided for people with reduced mobility.

Communes will be responsible for policing the new rules, according to the minister, however the state will retain powers to overrule some decisions where it is deemed necessary.

The new law was ratified following a landmark debate in the Chambre des Deputés in July this year which was translated using sign language.

The treaty focused mainly on making the country and its politics more accessible for people with disabilities, tackling prejudice and on giving those affected by a disability greater autonomy over their lives.