Sharing insights to improve public transport accessibility

This week, Kenny Delahunt took part in a key training session at the WayFinding Centre in Dublin.

The WayFinding Centre is a facility designed to make public transport more accessible for people with disabilities. It gives people the chance to experience real-life travel scenarios, such as using a train station or airport, in a supportive environment. It also provides training for transport staff on how best to support people with disabilities when travelling.

Kenny, who is supported by Kare's Outreach and Employment teams, was attending the training as an ambassador for wheelchair users. Kenny commutes to Dublin by train for work, so was able to share his experiences, both positive and negative, of using public transport as a wheelchair user.

Throughout the day, he spoke to two groups of Irish Rail trainees and shared practical insights, such as how he uses his electric wheelchair on steep ramps, how to disengage the motor if the battery runs low, and highlighting the impact that magnets can have on the chair’s controls. Kenny also spoke about how it feels to be a wheelchair user on public transport and how he would like to be treated when travelling, helping the trainees to better understand the barriers faced by people with disabilities.

At the end of the day, Kenny joined the Wayfinding team and other ambassadors for a debrief, giving feedback on what worked well and where improvements could be made.

Kenny's contribution as a WayFinding Centre Ambassador is helping transport staff to better understand the experiences of people with disabilities and to make public transport more accessible for everyone.

To find out more about the WayFinding Centre, visit https://thewayfindingcentre.ie/.