South Australia has added a new feature to its Pavely smartphone app to make it easier for people with disability to travel across the state.
The ‘travel mode’ feature allows users to search for specific towns and regions and view all the accessible places in those locations. This includes venues and services based on crowdsourced accessibility ratings and inclusive features such as a venue’s entrance, amenities, parking and options for assistance, vision and sensory needs. The app also displays locations and accessibility information for more than 1,900 public toilets, 21 Changing Places, and nearly 1,600 disability parking spaces.
Human Services Minister Nat Cook said Pavely’s value is in its community-driven nature, as people with disability or accessibility needs are pinning locations and sharing their knowledge and experiences. “Many users have told me that Pavely has been ‘lifechanging’ because it makes it quick and easy to find new places to go or things to see and gives them greater confidence in doing so.”
Zoe Neville, whose daughter Ruthie has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, said before leaving home the family need to consider if there will be parking with plenty of room to safely get Ruthie out of her wheelchair van.
“Not all disabled toilets work for Ruthie either, so using the Changing Places filter on the Pavely app, we know where there are toilets with hoists to lift Ruthie. There are a lot of amazing accessible venues we visit regularly in Adelaide, but travelling to regional areas for holidays can be nerve-wracking not knowing how accessible things will be when we get there. The Pavely app makes this so much easier,” she said.
More than 450 businesses with accessible features are pinned on the app, which is free to download.
For more information, visit www.pavely.com.au.
Photo: Zoe and Ruthie Neville