Odessa is consistently adopting new European accessibility standards, exemplifying a systematic approach to inclusion in the urban environment.
On February 27, during a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Odessa City Council, the Action Plan for Creating a Barrier-Free Space for 2025-2026 was officially approved. This document outlines a comprehensive transformation of the urban landscape — from infrastructure to education, recreation, and digital services.
The plan aims to create a city accessible to people with disabilities, the elderly, parents with strollers, and anyone facing barriers in daily life. It focuses not only on adapted facilities but on a holistic system for convenient movement and interaction with the city. Key areas include equal access to transport, information, education, sports, and other essential services.
The implementation of the Plan is overseen by the Barrier-Free Council, which includes representatives from the city government, veterans, and NGOs, including individuals with disabilities.
«Odessa should be convenient for everyone. We are elevating the topic of barrier-free access to a new level and making it part of the strategic vision for Odessa's development,» said Mayor Gennady Trukhanov.
«We view barrier-free access as a comprehensive change: convenient transport, safe crossings, well-planned stops, and accessible infrastructure. These are not isolated solutions but a unified logic that serves everyone — from people with disabilities to parents with strollers,» emphasized Oleksiy Morozov, Deputy Head of the Barrier-Free Council.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development of Ukraine, the project «Movement Without Barriers» is being implemented. Its strategic significance has been confirmed at the national level: on March 26, a meeting of the National Barrier-Free Council took place with the participation of Ukraine's First Lady Olena Zelenska and Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba. Odessa became one of the cities actively involved in preparing projects in the fields of education, culture, and social services.
Special attention has been given to the «North-South» project — one of the flagship routes within the Ministry's initiative «Barrier-Free Routes». Recently, a portion of this route was presented in Odessa to ministry representatives who arrived from Kyiv. It runs from the Peresyp district to the CNAP on Kosivska Street and will be part of the new accessible urban mobility system.
