European Commission reveals finalists of the Access City Award 2024

Łódź (Poland), Saint-Quentin (France), San Cristóbal de la Laguna (Spain), South Dublin County (Ireland) and Tübingen (Germany) have been chosen as the finalists for the 2024 Access City Award. These cities have demonstrated best practices and highlighted their commitment to ensure accessibility to urban life for all, especially persons with disabilities and older people. In practice, this relates to the cities’ actions in relation to improving accessibility to public transport and public space, and also to buildings, facilities and services, as well as the provision of information and use of communication technologies.

Values and Transparency Vice-President Věra Jourová (pictured) said: “Accessibility is an essential step towards equality, ensuring that everyone can benefit from the same level of freedom and autonomy. The Access City Award finalists are dedicated to removing barriers and championing inclusivity. I call on other cities to make urban life in Europe more accessible to all citizens.”

Equality Commissioner Helena Dalli said: “Cities across the EU are intensifying their commitment to dismantle barriers and ensure full accessibility to all. As cities ramp up their digital and green transitions, they have a unique opportunity to ensure that their transformations are inclusive and accessible. The Access City Award celebrates those cities that excel in making accessibility a cornerstone of sustainable living and this year includes a special mention for cities whose work on accessibility is aligned with the values of the New European Bauhaus.”

The accessibility of public space, transport and related infrastructure are among the key areas taken into account by the jury. This covers, not only accessibility relating to physical access, but also to virtual accessibility. A city is accessible when all people can live in it and use all infrastructure and services without problems. For example, people should not have to face any difficulties in getting into a bus or a metro, but it should also be easy to travel from door-to-door, to plan a trip, buy a ticket and get route information both on- and offline.

The winner of the Access City Award 2023, the Swedish city of Skellefteå, has been working hard to improve accessibility of transport and public space. Public playgrounds and streets in Skellefteå are highly accessible, with tactile information signs and ground heating to ensure snow and ice are not a hazard for persons with disabilities and other residents. The city’s central park and the nearby river area are functional and accessible meeting places with tactile paths, seating, an outdoor elevator and several tactile maps. Buses in Skellefteå’s network are equipped with low floors that tilt to kerb level, ramps, text screens and audio announcements.

Last year, the French city of Grenoble received a special mention from the jury for its efforts and achievements in making transport accessible. The Grenoble metropolitan area put the world's first accessible tramway into service in 1987. Since then the city’s public transport network has been developed to become one of the most accessible in France and in Europe. It uses a fleet of low-floor buses and trams and has audible and visual announcements for stops. All tram and 90% of the bus stops are accessible and the city also provides a transport service by reservation dedicated to people with reduced mobility who cannot use the lines of the regular public transport network.

Grenoble first produced an Accessibility Master Plan, or PAVE, for making roads and public spaces accessible in 2004, which is updated annually, although carrying out accessibility work in public spaces is now a responsibility of the Grenoble-Alpes Métropole. A Municipal Accessibility Commission advises on and monitors the implementation of the plan. This body for assessment, consultation and exchange, consists of representatives of the municipality and members of associations or organisations that represent people with all types of disabilities.

The city that will succeed Skellefteå, and which will become the winner of the Access City Award 2024, will be announced on 1 December 2023 at an award ceremony during the European Day of Persons with Disabilities conference, which is organised jointly by the European Commission with the European Disability Forum.

Among the 32 cities that applied for the award this year, 21 candidates were pre-selected by national experts. The five finalists were then shortlisted by an EU jury. The ceremony will be broadcast live here, starting at 9.30, and will feature international sign interpretation, audio-description and English captioning.