Citizens with limited autonomy: the forgotten of mobility policies. Lima as an example

Àngel Cebollada,Félix Cabrera

doi:10.4000/belgeo.36495

Abstract

New mobility policies focus on the right to a sustainable, equitable and accessible city. Thus, urban environments are gradually being transformed to become more inclusive, favouring journeys on foot, by bicycle and public transport, and achieving a wider ownership of public space, while limiting the use of private vehicles. However, no single model, with homogeneous capacities and needs, represents a human being; in fact, there is a large number of heterogeneities. Habitually, cities have been built for a single individual: male, middle-aged and with full physical and mental faculties. This article presents the results of a case study in the city of Lima, Peru. Research is based on interviews to understand the barriers that groups of citizens with limited autonomy (older adults, children, the motor disabled, the visually impaired and the cognitively disabled) face when they move around the city. The cyclical chain of requirements to travel is identified. The article concludes with a call for public mobility policies to integrate the biopsychosocial sphere to encourage autonomous journeys by the entire citizenry.

Highlights

Examined simultaneously, because there is no single citizen model with homogeneous capacities and needs
As a result of the information obtained in the interviews, an initial schema is proposed, called: “the cyclic chain of requirements to travel”
42 The results indicate that the definition of autonomy varies and depends on the type of disability, whether it was congenital or subsequently acquired, and whether temporary or permanent

Summary

Introduction

Examined simultaneously, because there is no single citizen model with homogeneous capacities and needs. 11 One of the most relevant aspects of this stage of evolution of mobility is that at the beginning of the 21st century the social connotations of mobility policy were clearly highlighted and it was recognised that access to the city and to goods and services is a citizen right (Borja, 2013) This means that pedestrians are subjects for the study of mobility and excluded groups, like people with limited autonomy (children, older adults and those with disabilities) have been incorporated in the design and analysis of public space (Garcia et al, 2014; Garcia, Monk, 2007). All aspects mentioned above determine the guidelines of this research, which focuses on people with limited autonomy

Methods

Results

Conclusion