The Belgian equality body has filed a lawsuit against national rail operator SNCB, demanding the widespread implementation of access ramps for individuals with disabilities.
Currently, this assistance service is available in less than a third of stations, the Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities (UNIA) stated on Tuesday. The case will be heard on Wednesday at the Brussels Court of First Instance.
UNIA will appear in court alongside a complainant and the Collective Accessibility Wallonia Brussels (CAWaB). The organisation has been requesting for several years that SNCB ensures the complainant, who uses a wheelchair, and all individuals with reduced mobility can board low-floor trains using access ramps.
The equality body says that SNCB refuses to require its staff to deploy these ramps, even when trains are equipped with them. Boarding and disembarking services for wheelchair users are only guaranteed at certain stations with pre-booked assistance services. Consequently, travellers with reduced mobility may face refusals from staff and remain on the platform.
The complainant speaks of the "constant stress" caused by this uncertainty. "Each time, I have to ask and negotiate. Some staff members agree, but others say they don’t have the time, are not trained, or are not insured. Sometimes I have to avoid taking the train to avoid all this stress."
According to UNIA, this issue violates the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and constitutes discrimination.
The Interfederal Centre for Equal Opportunities notes that it has already initiated several legal actions to urge public transport operators to improve infrastructure accessibility. Last year, UNIA won a lawsuit alongside four wheelchair users against the Flemish transport company De Lijn for violating the UN Convention.
