It is crucial that stopping the use of pesticides in towns and cities does not negatively impact infrastructure or accessibility. Streets must be maintained to a high standard so that disabled people and their personal assistants, elderly people, and parents or carers with buggies do not face issues using the pavements.
As many towns and cities (and whole countries like France, Luxembourg and Denmark) have proven, it is perfectly possible to go pesticide-free without negatively impacting accessibility for local residents. We need to take a more holistic approach which prioritises accessibility while also protecting human health and the environment.
It is vital that councils ensure that the rights and needs of those who struggle with access are considered while designing their pesticide phase-out plans. The best way to do this is to explicitly include consulting with local groups and networks that represent disabled and elderly people in public outreach initiatives and review throughout, to ensure that there isn’t plant growth in spaces that would make their already-challenging use of urban spaces harder. These groups will be best-placed to represent the voices and concerns of their members and advise on how best to go pesticide-free while maintaining accessibility.