THE DBR HAS BEEN COOPERATING WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE PHISICALLY HANDICAPPED PEOPLE FROM THE START OF THE PROJECT

The 4th line of the metropolitan will be truly obstacle-free because it must conform to the related EU specifications. On February 22nd 2008 the DBR Metro Project Directorate signed a memorandum of understanding with the Association of Physically Handicapped Residents of Budapest (MBE) to promote the forwarding of views and opinions of future handicapped passengers to the responsible experts of metro construction. This memorandum formalizes and tightens an existing relationship, because the competent specialists of the metro project invited the experts of physically handicapped residents to participate in the design of the metro.

Following the signing of the memorandum the parties began negotiations and agreed on the language of the agreement. During the summer the DBR and the MBE also agreed to involve in the joint efforts the representatives of the associations of visually and mentally handicapped and deaf residents. The DBR called upon the Association of Physically Handicapped Residents of Budapest to coordinate the efforts of various representations of interests for the assertion of their respective initiatives through the good services of MBE. MBE has accepted this responsibility.
DBR prepared the suggested language of the cooperation agreement, but after the signing of the latter it turned out that the various representations of interests would prefer separate agreements. In a letter dated the end of October the DBR informed the chairman of MBE about its intention to keep to the earlier agreement despite the change in management. The DBR is currently waiting for response whether or not a joint representation of the NGOs is possible. The DBR shares the view that it is a common interest of all parties to begin negotiations as soon as possible.
The contractor carrying out in-door installation works is responsible for assuring entirely obstacle-free access. The contractor’s intention is to involve in design and implementation the experts of this field because this would guarantee the complete compliance of the 4th line of the metro with these peculiar specifications. In addition to contractual expertise the DBR advocates the participation of representations of interest of future handicapped passengers in the elaboration and implementation of ideas, because they will benefit from those in the first place.