No.07-00-231/2015-02  Date: 3 August 2015

OPINION

The opinion was issued in the procedure regarding the complaint lodged by M.B. of L. against the Bus Station “L.” L. The complainant stated that she is a person with disability using a wheelchair and that she cannot buy the platform ticket at the Bus Station “L.” because the point of sale is inaccessible. The declaration stated that the point of sale of platform tickets is not approached by stairs, but tickets are sold in the part of the bus station which is accessible; however, due to the configuration of the terrain there is a staircase leading from the ticket office to the bus station platforms. The platforms can be reached by people with disabilities if they use a detour route giving access to the platforms at the “barrier gate”. Since the allegations in the complaint and the declaration differed, and neither party submitted evidence in support of their respective claims, for the purpose of establishing the facts properly, a representative of the Commissioner’s Professional Service visited the bus station of the T.C. “L” on 28 July 2015 together with M.P, President of the APQS, who is a wheelchair user, and who tested whether he could approach the point of sale of platform tickets and whether he could access the platforms of the Bus Station of T.C. “L”. It was established that the ticket office selling platform tickets can be entered from the K.T. Street across a pedestrian crossing which is aligned with the entrance to the ticket office, that is, people with disabilities can buy platform tickets without any difficulties. However, after buying a ticket, there are a lot of stairs on the way from the ticket office to the platforms. Therefore, for a person who uses a wheelchair, in order to come to a platform, he/she has to go back to the K.T. Street, which is very steep, so a person with disability can hardly come down the street without an assistant and enter the platforms by the entrance used by buses – “at the barrier gate” entrance. The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality issued the opinion that the T.C. “L” L. failed to take measures to ensure adequate access to the platforms of the bus station “L.” after the purchase of the platform ticket, as well as unhindered use of all services provided by this facility, thus discriminating against M.B. and all people with disabilities, especially those using wheelchairs or having mobility impairments. The T.C. “L” L. was recommended to take all necessary measures in order to carry out works and provide for adequate and safe access through all areas of the bus station “L”, including the point of sale of platform tickets, entrance to the platforms and platform standing areas for travellers, so that people with disabilities could use the services of the bus station under equal conditions.