MIDLETON, CO CORK, has been names as a ‘model town’ for accessibility in Ireland, after receiving EU accreditation for accessibility.

Through an EU-wide pilot project, ISEMOA, the town has been improving the accessibility of its pedestrian, cyclist and public transport services and facilities so residents can adopt a less car-dependent lifestyle.

“The accessibility improvements benefit everyone, young and old, those with visual, hearing or mobility challenges, families with young children and pushchairs, and users of public transport,” commented Tony McCaul, the Irish lead auditor for the EU project. “The key issue is that everyone can enjoy easy access to the streets, shops and facilities that Midleton offers.”

Midleton is the only town in Ireland to receive the ISEMOA accreditation, and is one of less than twenty designated areas across the EU to participate in the project.

“In line with the programme requirements, we reviewed accessibility in Midleton town from a door-to-door perspective, looking closely at the entire journey people make daily,” said local councillor Margaret Trundle. “Each journey is composed of several elements that together make up the “mobility chain”. It is crucial that the whole mobility chain is accessible; if there is a barrier in one of the elements, then the whole mobility chain does not work.”

A budget of €1.5 million has been invested in the development to continue work on the access upgrade work, to take place on the remainder of the main street. The upgrade work is set to include an upgrade of the accessibility of surface, including seating areas, pedestrian crossings, tactile paving, raised pedestrian thoroughfare, and disabled parking bays.

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