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 Notes for the Disabled in Tuscany

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Disabled Travel & Transport in Italy

Trains

The Italian railways, Trenitalia, provides a specific service to disabled people to assist them during their train journey with a special card (Carta Blu). This includes fare reductions to blind people and war invalids, special assistance centres in 255 stations, equipped places for wheelchairs passengers.

  • More information can be found on the website: Click here
  • A national helpline is available on subscription to disabled passengers
    Tel: 199 303 060

Italian international airports

The European Parliament passed a regulation that will facilitate air flights for people with reduced mobility. This should be put into practice in 2008. The regulations establish that people with reduced mobility should have free, special assistance when needed in airplanes, airports, baggage check in and with flight connections.

Responsibility has been passed to the airports to accommodate the needs of the disabled traveller. Air companies will still be at liberty to provide services to people with reduced mobility.

In all major Italian airports there is a special service providing assistance to disabled people: wheelchair service, assistance during boarding and landing.

Each airline company has its own internal procedures, describing the type of disability they may accept as well as the specific services offered on board and on ground. The disabled passenger should always notify the company about their specific needs when booking the ticket. It is also important to be present at the check-in desk at least one and a half hours before boarding. Wheelchair transport is free.

Bus travel

The website bus.it (in Italian) provides information by region on companies renting buses adapted to disabled people.

  • Click here and then on the link to Turismo Disabili

Boats and ferries

The boat companies operating between mainland Italy and the Italian islands have made most of their boats accessible to disabled people. It is necessary to notify the type of disability when booking the ticket in order to get specific assistance when going on board.

Among the companies offering special assistance for disabled are:

  • Corsica Ferriesi
    At: Via Angelo Brunetti 25/D, Rome (RM)
    Tel: 06 322 2469
  • Ferrovie dello Stato, Divisione Navigazione Trasporto Passeggeri
    At: Molo Vespucci, 00053 Civitavecchia (RM)
    Tel: 0906 786 478

Cars and motorways

The accessibility of Italian motorway service areas, restaurants, bathrooms and various amenities to disabled people is under development. On the national and provincial roads, this accessibility varies according to the area.

  • For more information contact the Associazione Centro Documentazione Handicap
    Tel: 800 018 537

Parking

Cars parking in disabled parking spaces must display the blue disabled parking card or a European Community blue badge. Contact the local town hall for information on obtaining a blue badge. 

The blue badge is a standardised European Community disabled person's parking permit which provides parking entitlements to badge holders in all complying European countries - a blue badge from one country is valid in another. A person coming to Italy from another EU country may find it easier to apply in their home country for this universal badge which allows the use of reserved parking.

Things to keep in mind:

  • Disabled spaces in car parks reserved for disabled people are marked with a yellow line and a wheelchair symbol; parking is generally free in these spots, check with the parking attendant
  • Do not park in a space marked with a person's name or vehicle registration number
  • In an emergency and if not causing an obstruction, disabled parking is allowed on roads where parking is normally prohibited
  • Do not park in pedestrian zones or ZTL (restricted traffic area) unless local law specifies it is allowed
  • Disabled drivers may park without time restrictions on roads with parking time limits
  • Full details from the ECMT (European Conference of Ministers of Transport): Click here

Drivers with a blue badge from another European country may display this translation beside a badge written in another language (text from the UK Automobile Association):

Contrassegno d'invalidita per persone disabilit.

La persona che espone questo 

contrassegno e un visitatore 

disabile di un altro paese europeo, 

che ha diritto alle stesse agevolazioni 

dei disabili residenti nel vostro paese. 

MODELLO PER LA COMUNITA EUROPEA

Adapted vehicles

The following transport companies have a fleet of buses specifically designed to accommodate the disabled.

  • Azienda Trasporti Livorno (ATL)
    At:
    via Di Franco 9, 57123 Livorno (LI)
    Tel: 0586 84 74 13
    Fax: 0586 88 45 23
    Website 
    e-mail
  • Cooperative Autotrasporti Pratese (C.A.P)
    At:
    Piazza Duomo 18, 59100 Prato (PO)
    Tel: 0574 60 82 23
    Fax: 0574 60 82 29
    Website
    e-mail
     
  • Fiorentino Autonoleggio
    At:
    Via delle Panche 60°, 50141 Florence (FI)
    Tel: 055 42 23 591
    Fax: 055 43 69 231
    Website
    e-mail
  • Grifo Tour
    At:
    Via Emilia 110, 58100 Grosseto (GR)
    Tel: 0564 21 012
    Fax: 0564 21 012
    Website
    e-mail

Access to no-drive areas of Florence

To gain permission to drive in Florence's no-drive zones call the Municipal Police 24 hours before access is required. Provide the following:

  • Name and surname of the disabled person
  • License plate of the car
  • Dates of entry to the Florence no drive areas
  • Pass number and place of issue of the current disabled pass
  • Tel freephone (in Italy): 800 33 98 91
Tourism for the Disabled in Tuscany

Italiapertutti is a tourism and leisure web portal for the disabled in Italy. It provides information on:

  • accessibility in Tuscany
  • visiting Tuscany including itineraries for disabled visitors
  • transport
  • links to other useful sites
  • To visit the site: Click here

Hobbies, Sport and Holidays

On the initiative of the General Tourist Board (Direzione Generale per il Turismo del Ministero delle Attivitą Produttive), an online service, Italia per Tutti, has been created, which enables users to search and select a list of tourist sites in Italy with information on allergies, reduced mobility, wheelchairs and access for blind, deaf or elderly people. The website has a list of hotels, restaurants, bars and monuments and is available in English and German.

The tour operator Mondopossibile, member of the SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality) deals exclusively with travel and holidays for disabled people.

Sportabili is a non-profit organisation aiming to create contacts and links between disabled people and the rest of the community. The services proposed include skiing, cross-country skiing, hand-biking, rafting, hydrospeed and tennis with special guides for blind people.

  • Tel: 0462 501 999
    Website (in Italian)

Disabilincorsa offers several possibilities for disabled people to practice sport; running, cycling, ice-skating, horse-riding, mountains walks and sailing.

  • Tel: 0347 384 5121
    Website (in Italian)

Centro Internazionale del Libro Parlato produces registered books, in Italian, for blind people.

The website of the Italian Library for the Blind (Biblioteca Italiana per i Ciechi) has an exhaustive list of libraries available for blind people in Italy.

In Rome, documents for blind people (in Italian) can be found at the Bibliteca Nazionale Centrale

  • At: Viale Castro Pretorio 105, 00185 Rome (RM)
    Tel: 06 447 01871

Sports Associations for the Disabled in Tuscany

The Sport Disabili website lists sporting associations for people with disabilities in many regions in Italy. Sports include horse riding, golf and hockey, basketball, archery and athletics.

The Italian Paralympic Committee (Comitato Italiano Paralimpico, CIP) promotes disabled sport and associated activities.

  • Tuscany Provincial committee
    At:
    Via Leonida Repaci, 3/a, 55049 Viareggio (LU)
    Tel: 0584 52 891
    Fax: 0584 407 111
    e-mail 
    Website 
General Information & Useful links

Azienda Sociale Locale (ASL): Any person wishing to have their disability recognised in Italy should refer to the local ASL (Rome is divided into 4 ASL). Social invalidity benefits will only be delivered to people holding not just a residence permit but an Italian residence card, which is usually allocated after six years spent in the country. The same will be relevant to families wishing to apply for benefits for a handicapped child.

  • Conzortio Sociale (COIN): The focus of the COIN is the social and economic integration of disabled people.
    • General information can be found on the website: Click here (in Italian)
      Tel: 800 810 810
  • Superabile: A website for disabled people, updated daily, provides useful information and tips on relevant laws, health issues, sport, hobbies and work.
    • Information is provided through a call centre
      Tel: 800 810 810
      Website (in Italian)
  • Handylex: This is a useful national database containing news from the official paper Gazzetta Ufficiale and legal information relating to disabled people.
  • Cooperative ProgettAzione is a social project aiming to facilitate the integration of people who are having problems through actions of prevention and training.
    • At: Via Piave 2/a, 24026 Ponte San Pietro (BG)
      Tel: 0356 14 928
      Website (in Italian)

Disabili: An online journal and news magazine for disabled, this website is dedicated to handicapped people and provides information, chats, exchanges and discussion forums on various matters (information provided in Italian language).

  • The Assistive Technology Research and Information Service (SIVA): Provides medical, social and vocational rehabilitation to people with a physical, mental or sensorial handicap. SIVA is developing a nationwide information system on assistive technology.
Information Regarding Work

The website of the Ministry of Social Solidarity (Ministerio della Solidarietą Sociale) provides information on work policies, general social affairs and has a section on disability with relevant information.

  • For more information: Click here (in Italian)
    Tel: 800 196 196

Handimpresa: Organisation based in Milan, aims to make it easier for disabled people to get jobs. Their website (in Italian) has useful links to help people find a job or a training session.

Foundation Don Gnocchi: A non-profit board providing care, rehabilitation and social integration for people in difficulty. Among its various missions the Foundation provides training for disabled people in IT, Internet, retail, catering and artisan trades.

Italian Associations for the Disabled

There are a number of associations related to reduced mobility and disability. Please note that these organisations operate in Italian language. There is no guarantee of finding an English-speaker.

  • Associazione Nazionale Famiglie di Disabili Intelletivi e Relazionli (Anffas): A national association looking after the rights of intellectually disabled people and their families, the Anffas operates in the sectors of education, professional training, work, sport and free-time.
  • Associazione Sclerosi Tuberosa: This association dealing with tuberous sclerosis aims to help the families concerned and provide support for the research into the disease. The association organises meetings everywhere in Italy to provide information on the disease and the latest medical treatments.
  • Unione Italiana dei Ciechi: Association for the integration of blind people into the community. The ALA (Agenzia per la Promozione del Lavoro dei Ciechi) aims to help blind people in the work environment.
    • Unione Italiana dei Ciechi
      Tel: 800 682 682 / 06 699 881
      Website (in Italian)
  • Associazione Italiana Persone Down: The Italian Association for People suffering from Downs syndrome.
    • At: Viale delle Milizie 106, Rome (RM)
      Tel: 06 372 0891
      Website 
  • Unione Italiana Lotta alla Distrofia Muscolare (UILDM) promotes scientific research on muscular dystrophy and facilitate social integration.
  • Associazione Anni Verdi: An association and support group for physically or mentally handicapped people.
    • At: Via Quirino Majorana 195, 00152 Rome (RM)
      Tel: 06 551 8211
  • Mason Perkins: Fund support for deaf and deaf-blind children.
    • At: Via Nomentana 56, Rome (RM)
      Tel: 06 442 34511
      Website 
  • U.C.L.A.I.: Association providing help to disabled people.
    • At: Via Paolo Emilio 24/d, 00192 Rome (RM)
      Tel: 06 361 0992

Other associations

Calibre Audio Books: UK charity, Calibre, supplies audio books in English on cassette or disk to visually impaired and disabled people. The free service is available to members (registration can be made via the website). Free postal service is available to anywhere in Europe. 

  • Calibre
    Tel: + 44 1296 432339
    Fax: + 44 1296 392599
    e-mail 
    Website

Associations for the disabled in Tuscany

Associations for the Disabled and information centres can be found at the following Tuscany addresses:

  • AIPD (Associazione Italiana Persone Down): Association for people with Down's Syndrome and their families
  • Arezzo
    At:
    Via Cavour, 97 52100 Arezzo
    Tel: 0575 351 597
    Fax: 0575 352 204
    Website
  • Grosseto
    At: Via Papa Giovanni XXIII - Circoscrizione n. 3 Gorarella, 58100 Grosseto (GR)
    Tel: 0564 494 797
    Fax: 0564 452 981
  • Pisa-Livorno
    At: Via Cesare Battisti, 55 56100 Pisa (PI)
    Tel: 050 48 689
    Fax: 050 48 689
    e-mail
    Website
  • Associazione Paraplegici: Association for Paraplegics
    At:
    Sede c/o Villa Fabbricotti
    via Vittorio Emanuele II, 64, 50134 Florence (FI)
    Tel: 055 486 474
    e-mail 

    Website
    (in Italian)
  • L'Associazione Toscana Idrocefalo e Spina Bifida: Association for sufferers of Spina Bifida
    At:
    Parrocchia di Santa Maria a Settignano, Piazza Tommaseo 18, 50135 Florence (FI)
    Tel: 055 697 617
    Fax: 055 697 617
    e-mail
    Website 
  • A.I.S.M. Associazione Italiana Sclerosi Multipla: Italian Association for Multiple Sclerosis
    Sezione di Firenze Luigi Amaducci
    At: Via Rocca Tedalda 275, 50100 Florence (FI)
    Tel: 055 691 033
    e-mail
    Website
  • U.I.L.D.M. Unione Italiana Lotta alla Distrofia Muscolare: Italian Union for people with Muscular Dystrophy 
  • Arezzo
    At: Rigutino Ovest 283, 52040 Rigutino (AR)
    Tel: 0575 978 830
    Fax: 055 691 033
    e-mail
  • Firenze
    At: Via San Jacopo al Girone 6/a, 50014 Girone-Fiesole (FI)
    Tel: 055 690 970
    Fax: 055 690 970
    e-mail
    Website 
  • Livorno
    At: Corso Italia 40 (c/o Lombardi), 57017 Stagno (LI)
    Tel: 0586 943 275
    Fax: 0586 444 446
    e-mail
    Website
  • Lucca
    At: Via Fiorentini 25 c/o Villa Vecchiacchi, 55100 Lucca (LU)
    Tel: 0583 954 730
    Fax: 0583 954 730
    e-mail 
  • Pisa
    At: Via De Amicis, 116 (c/o Marcheschi), 56010 Arena Metato (PI )
    Tel: 050 810 102
    Fax: 050 810 102
    e-mail 
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Page generated at 09:08; Saturday, May 17, 2008
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