A WHEELCHAIR USER'S JOURNEY He relies on four apps to map out his best route

Ahead of the annual Purple Parade for greater inclusion taking place on Oct 12, The Straits Times follows a wheelchair user to find out the state of wheelchair accessibility here.

- Goh Yan Han

For most people, a quick check on Google Maps is all one needs to find the best route when meeting friends at a new spot.

Mr Alister Ong, who has cerebral palsy and uses a motorised wheelchair, relies on four different apps to map out the most accessible path with minimal inconvenience.

The NextStop application tells him which MRT train door is closest to the lift at his destination station, while the train operator's website lets him check which MRT exit is accessible by lift.

He then checks the Street Directory website to confirm if the accessible exit leads outdoors, and Google Street View to see if footpaths are clear of curbs or small steps.

Better awareness of the mobility needs of those with disabilities here has led to vast improvements to wheelchair users' lives over the decades. But the experiences of those like Mr Ong show there remain areas for improvement, such as in route quality, platform gaps and unexpected barriers.

For instance, the shortest available route may not be the best one for wheelchair users, said Mr Ong, 31, a disability advocate.

To reach Suntec City from his home in Novena, map apps would suggest taking the North-South Line train from Novena to Dhoby Ghaut, then transferring to the Circle Line and getting off at Esplanade station.

But he prefers taking the train from Novena to City Hall, and then travelling about 850m to get to Suntec City, so as to avoid having to take multiple lifts when switching train lines at Dhoby Ghaut interchange.