HK’s accessibility crisis: Wheelchair users face dangerous daily struggles

Disabilities in Hong Kong face severe accessibility issues, with one wheelchair-dependent student reporting a gravel-covered slope near their special needs school's MTR exit, prompting lawmakers to call for stronger interdepartmental cooperation to address the problem.

The alarming situation was highlighted at a press conference on accessible mobility on Tuesday, where disability advocates revealed multiple systemic failures in Hong Kong's infrastructure.

Chen Tsz-kin, 16, a student at Hong Kong's largest school for physically disabled students, shared his daily ordeal - though his school is just 20 meters from Lam Tin MTR station’s exit, the lack of elevators forces him to take a dangerous 30-minute detour along a steep, gravel-covered slope that becomes particularly hazardous during rainy weather.

Chen, who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a severe muscle-wasting condition, said what should be a one-minute journey becomes an exhausting half-hour struggle.

"As I'm preparing for my diploma exams, I don't want to waste so much time on transportation," Chan said.

While MTR Corporation has proposed shuttle buses as a solution, advocates argue this fails to meet the needs of numerous students facing similar challenges.

Legislator Rebecca Chan Hoi-yan, who is helping with their case, noted that Hong Kong's accessibility planning, unchanged for over 20 years, desperately needs updating.

She suggested repurposing vacant school buildings in flatter areas to provide safer routes for disabled students.

The transportation barriers extend beyond school commutes. Steve Lo Chun-yin, chairman of Wheel For Oneness, revealed that wheelchair users often wait for hours as each bus carries only one wheelchair spot.

He urged implementing real-time tracking of wheelchair seat availability in bus apps and increasing the number of wheelchair spaces on buses.

Air travel presents another set of challenges. Yip Cham-kai, chairman of Hong Kong Rehabilitation Power and Guinness World Record holder for fastest global flight by a wheelchair user, compared airplane bathroom access to "going to war."

He said the narrow aisles and poorly designed facilities make basic mobility extremely difficult.

Lawmaker Chan proposed establishing a dedicated accessibility policy office to coordinate cross-departmental resources, stressing that with Hong Kong's aging population, improved accessibility benefits all residents.

"Wheelchair spaces aren't just for people with disabilities," she noted, "but for our growing elderly population who increasingly need barrier-free access."

(Marco Lam)