The Memorandum states the following obligations: to ensure that all newly acquired means of transport (buses, trolleybuses, trains, ferries, entertainment vessels, etc.) and carriage services provided hereby are made accessible to people with special needs, and that newly equipped or reconstructed transport infrastructure objects and their environment are adapted to the said needs.
“By signing this Memorandum we acknowledge that our transport situation, in terms of accessibility, still needs significant improvement. This memorandum marks the commencement of important works to solve this pressing issue. I believe that, with increasing levels of justice and empathy, Lithuania is changing, while our approach to people with disabilities is a major criterion of our maturity and humanity”, Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė said during the ceremony.
The parties to the memorandum recognise that Lithuanian infrastructure involving road, rail, air, internal waters and marine transport is only partially adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. People with disabilities still cannot enjoy complete mobility or have sufficient possibilities to use accessible transport infrastructure, means of transport and transport services.
“Freedom of movement for everyone is at the top of the Ministry’s priority list. We must start changing our selves first; thus, all transport enterprises are joining in. Accessible environment, such as buses, trolleybuses, trains, stations and public transport stops, is a necessary condition that must be achieved in order to ensure the participation of people with disabilities in a social life”, initiator of the Memorandum, Minister of Transport and Communications Marius Skuodis said after signing.
The Minister called to all the ministries and private sector to join this initiative and to actively participate in making the difference and adapting transport, buildings and infrastructure to the needs of people of disabilities.
It is planned to use EUR 85 million from the Recovery and Resilience Facility funds for public transport modernisation. Over the EU 2021–2027 financial period around EUR 368 million are to be allocated to implement cycling / pedestrian routes and sustainable mobility plans. In total, the Ministry of Transport and Communications plans to use around EUR 500 million from both sources to make urban infrastructure more accessible to people with disabilities. The funds are to be used to adapt streets to the needs of people with disabilities, to renovate sidewalks, and to increase bus stop infrastructure accessibility. Installation of sustainable mobility facilities and traffic safety measures at pedestrian and cycling routes, as well as application of green traffic safety measures, are among the top priorities of the initiative. The Ministry plans to purchase over 800 electricity- and gas-powered minibuses and buses and to furnish necessary charging infrastructure.
The Ministry of Transport is to review the funding distribution principles of the Road Maintenance and Development Program and to order municipalities to allocate some funding to making the infrastructure more accessible. Additionally, by the autumn session of the Parliament, the Ministry is to prepare a draft legislation establishing criteria for transport accessibility to people with special needs and people with limited mobility for the municipalities to fall back on.
