Bremen becomes barrier-free: New portal makes city visits easier!

Bremen becomes barrier-free: New portal makes city visits easier!

In beautiful Bremen there is an initiative that has set itself the task of breaking down barriers for people with disabilities and enabling them to live a comfortable and self-determined life. The Bremen barrier-free portal offers comprehensive information that is important for city visitors and locals alike. *Spot Bremen* reports that people with disabilities in particular often fail at points such as curbs, missing ramps, narrow doors or high handles, which makes city visits a challenge.

The portal is operated by Lisa Heidenreich, project manager at p+t planning, in collaboration with WFB Wirtschaftsförder Bremen GmbH and has continuously developed since it was founded in 1986. It originally started as a ring binder that contained the first city guide for barrier-free Bremen. Today it offers a comprehensive online city guide that is aimed not only at wheelchair users, but now also at people with hearing or visual impairments.

Functions of the portal

The city guide is the heart of the portal and contains useful data on the accessibility of offices, shops, public facilities and cultural attractions. Divided into four categories - city guide, tourism and leisure, life and work and mobility - users will find valuable information that can significantly improve their experience in Bremen. This includes, for example, the Art and Culture section, which provides access information for institutions such as the Bremer Kunsthalle. The mobility sector also offers information about means of transport and charging options for e-wheelchairs.

• Innerstädtische Rundwege: Altstadt und Stephani sind als barrierefreie Rundwege verzeichnet.
• Map-Material: Informationen über Straßenverhältnisse und besondere Merkmale auf den Routen.

But Bremen Barrier-free is more than just an information portal. It also provides information about tourist offers such as barrier-free city tours, which enable people with wheelchairs easy access to the city center. The bus for these tours offers two wheelchair spaces and the “Town Musicians Express” tour enables a relaxed exploration of the city. The information is also provided in easy-to-understand language and is constantly checked by an editorial committee to ensure that it is up to date.

Developments and future goals

The WFB Bremen emphasizes that the city guide will continue to grow. Future expansions include data collection on educational and sports facilities as well as new topics such as housing and events. Closer collaboration with Bremen Tourism is also planned to develop even more barrier-friendly offers. Sign language videos are already being created and the portal is exploring the use of modern technologies such as chatbots and avatars. People with disabilities should be better integrated at all of these levels and their opinions and wishes should also be incorporated into the ongoing improvement processes.

However, the importance of accessibility is not just limited to Bremen. After all, around 13 million people with disabilities live in Germany, and various hurdles often prevent them from leading a self-determined life. In the coalition agreement, the federal government has stipulated that it will significantly advance accessibility, which is also important in various areas such as transport, healthcare and the Internet. The federal accessibility initiative aims to break down existing barriers and make access to public and private facilities easier. Further information is available on *BMAS*.

The Bremen Barrierefrei portal pursues an ambitious goal: people with disabilities should not only have access, but also be able to feel comfortable in the city. This is a step in the right direction to ensure that all visitors to Bremen have an unforgettable experience.

For more information visit Spot Bremen, WFB Bremen and BMAS.