Mandatory Inspection of Mobility Convenience Facilities
Guaranteeing the Mobility Rights of Transportation-Vulnerable Individuals
Assemblyman Baek Jonghan of the Gwangju Seo-gu Council announced that the "Ordinance on the Inspection of Convenience Facilities for the Mobility of Transportation-Vulnerable Persons in Seo-gu, Gwangju," which he proposed at the 332nd extraordinary session, passed the relevant standing committee on the 22nd.
The core of the ordinance is to establish a systematic inspection system for mobility convenience facilities, such as wheelchair boarding equipment, elevators for persons with disabilities, tactile paving blocks, and resting facilities for pregnant women.
The ordinance makes it mandatory to conduct pre-inspections before facility licensing, approval, authorization, and the commencement of road use. In addition, it requires continuous post-inspections after installation to ensure the practical mobility rights of transportation-vulnerable individuals.
The ordinance stipulates procedures to verify whether convenience facilities meet the standards set by relevant laws through pre-inspections (checking blueprints or on-site before installation) and post-inspections (examining maintenance status after installation).
In particular, a "Inspection Advisory Group" will be formed, allowing persons with disabilities, relevant experts, and public officials to directly inspect sites. The results will be compiled into a report, submitted to the district mayor, and immediately forwarded to relevant institutions to ensure prompt action, thereby clarifying the procedures.
Assemblyman Baek stated, "A facility that is inconvenient for transportation-vulnerable individuals is no different from having no facility at all," adding, "Thorough inspections and considering the perspective of the actual users are the essence of true welfare administration." He further expressed hope that "the ordinance will function properly in the field and serve as a catalyst for making Seo-gu a place where everyone can move without discrimination."
Meanwhile, according to the 2023 survey on the mobility convenience of transportation-vulnerable persons conducted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, there were 417,861 transportation-vulnerable individuals in the Gwangju area, accounting for 29.4% of the city's population.
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