Little love for the Adapto mobility service

It is 3 p.m. Right on time, the van turns off Avenue de la Gare and stops at the junction with Rue du Fort Neipperg.

A few seconds later, a text message lets Colette Pleimling know that her Adapto bus has arrived. She is already standing in front of the door of Info-Handicap in the capital on this mostly sunny day, chatting with participants in a training course on accessibility in public spaces. How appropriate.

There is no more than 15 metres between her and the bus. But she cannot know that. Colette Pleimling is visually impaired. It is convenient that we are here today and can accompany her on the return journey to Dudelange. Pleimling grabs my arm; together we walk the few steps and get into the back of the van. At the push of a button, the driver closes the sliding side door from his seat. The minibus starts moving – and Colette Pleimling also gets going.

For the transport service remains an uproarious topic among disability organisations even after the reforms and adjustments of the past years. It is regularly the subject of op-eds and parliamentary questions. The dissatisfaction has built up to such an extent that, despite attempts at appeasement by official bodies, a petition was launched again in mid-May (see infobox).