A CAMPAIGN group for pavement accessibility is currently working on a map for dropped kerbs in the city.
Equal Footing Porty is working with Mobility Mapper to create an interactive map that makes it easier for people to get around.
The community-based project works to improve access for everyone, including bike, buggy and mobility aid users.
The app uses data from users to build and update its maps, and can generate accessible, barrier-free routes based on specific needs and limitations.
Equal Footing Porty has been working on making sure that pavements in the Portobello area of Edinburgh are dropped when necessary to allow people to safely get from place to place.
Earlier this year, they revealed that out of 17,000 reported dropped kerbs in the Scottish capital, only 25 were fixed in 2023.
Through their campaigning, they were able to persuade the council to allocate £50,000 to fix five of the worst kerbs in Portobello.
Now, they have been working with a developer at Mobility Mapper to create a website app that maps dropped kerbs across the UK.
Mobility Mapper is a free route-finder and navigation service that is designed for users of wheeled mobility devices, allowing them to find the most accessible routes for each journey.
Equal Footing Porty shared news about their map on social media yesterday, saying: “Have you, as a pavement user with access needs, ever wished there was such a thing as google maps but for pavements?
“Wouldn’t that make your life so much easier? We’re working on it.
“Using EFP’s model of kerb rating on a traffic light system, GPS information and mysterious website-building skills we do not possess, our wonderful friend Sonya at Mobility Mapper has created a website app called ‘Dropped Kerb Mapper’ that streamlines the whole process of kerb mapping beautifully.
“We hope that this exciting new development will make it easier for anyone, anywhere to add kerbs in their neighbourhood to the map, and build on the database of kerb quantity and quality we started when we mapped Portobello.”
The mapper currently has over 200 users from across the UK and over 800 reports of dropped kerbs have currently been added to the database.
The map will be filled as more users submit kerbs from their neighbourhoods, and developers are also currently seeking funding and partnerships to help accelerate its progress.
Equal Footing Porty will be holding a meeting on 15 July to discuss the Dropped Kerb Mapper and their next mapping day, which will be held at 2pm on Zoom.
