Trip Advisor-style accessibility mapping of venues, transport and festivals

Mobility Mojo lists the accessibility of points of interest, events, and transportation for persons with mobility, visual, and hearing impairments in Ireland. Site and app include a mixture of self-uploaded information from establishments and from user reviews. By 2017 over 600 business and over 1000 services were listed.

Problems Targeted

Recent research by the European Commission shows that half of all people with a disability say they would travel more if they could be sure more accessible facilities were available.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

The Mobility Mojo website was launched in April 2016 and lists accessibility of accommodation, amenities, parking, transport options, and events across Ireland. Establishments must initially upload their venue to the website and provide details on accessibility, based on Irish and EU standards – including Ireland’s Government Building Regulations 2000 and the United Nations Enable’s Design Manual for a Barrier Free Environment. There are also compulsory requirements for the venues to provide photos on specific parts of the buildings, such as the entrance, foyer, and bathrooms. Users can visit the website for free where they can search for the desired location they wish to visit, such as a town or street, and select from a menu of accommodations, transportation, restaurants, attractions, and parking facilities. Mobility Mojo will show which venues are near the chosen location and will indicate for which user groups the venue is suitable. Users can view the basic accessibility features of each venue or find more detailed information and photos by signing up for free. It is also possible to begin booking on the website by clicking on the establishment and being redirected to the venue’s own website. Once a user has visited a venue he or she can return to Mobility Mojo to rate, review, and recommend the venue to others. As of mid-2017, Mobility Mojo had more than 200 registered users.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

In 2018, Mobility Mojo is aiming to expand to include 1,500 listings, 2,400 services, and a registered user base of 500. The site has begun to include information on accessibility of festivals and events, and it promotes its work through Facebook to its growing base of 3,600 Facebook followers as of late-2017. The project is being piloted in Ireland but there are plans to expand across Europe. The development of the website and app was funded through grants and funding awards, including Enterprise Ireland’s Competitive Start Fund and the Social Entrepreneurs of Ireland Elevator Award. The model is moving from one of grant support to a sustainable model by introducing a small monthly subscription fee for businesses to list their venue on the website. Additionally, there will be a ‘featured listing’ option for a higher fee whereby establishments can have their venue listed in a more visible and premium location on the website.

Pictures