Taking disability on board

Transport and mobility are essential to disabled people’s full participation in society. Accessible transport is a must. As our population ages rapidly and with an increased consciousness in society of the essential nature of accessible transport in the lives of disabled people, we see a distinct trend towards the development of transport systems based on a design for all approach. However, this trend is not consistent, harmonised or fast-moving.

This article will highlight some of the areas of activity of the European Disability Forum in the urban transport domain, and will point to current opportunities which could have a significant impact on the long-term accessibility of urban transport. It will also argue that not only are there human rights-based and sustainability-related arguments for investing in accessible urban transport, and in addition to legal obligations which are beginning to extend – ultimately, it makes financial sense for operators and transport authorities.

Disabled people and transport

Disabled people make up a significant and growing part of society and with an ageing population the number will continue to increase. Approximately 10% of the population in Europe has a disability.

The European Disability Forum (EDF) represents the interests of 50 million disabled people in Europe, ensuring that no decisions are taken at EU level without taking account of disability. Transport is a priority area of activity within our work and currently EDF is actively involved in negotiations to strengthen the rights of disabled air and rail passengers.

A large proportion of disabled people in Europe experience social exclusion because the design and operation of transport systems do not meet their needs. Disabled people are less likely to be employed and have much lower incomes than non-disabled individuals. Affordable and accessible public transport can make a difference in these people’s lives.

Accessible transport is crucial in ensuring access to employment, education and training, and enables people with disabilities to contribute to and participate in society. We as disabled people have a fundamental right to equal access to mainstream goods and services.

It is disingenuous, but all-too-often the reaction, for public transport operators to maintain that there is no need for accessible trams or buses within their city or town because they never see any disabled people travelling anyway. Disabled people tend not to travel spontaneously and will embark on a journey only when it is essential. The unreliability, inconsistency and inaccessibility of public transport contribute to a lack of confidence disabled people have in the system. This is a self-perpetuating cycle of exclusion and segregation.

When the benefits of accessible transport are considered for individuals who have reduced mobility for a reason other than a disability (either due to their age, because of the fact that they are travelling with children or bulky luggage, or because they have a temporary disability), the number of people who can directly benefit from accessible transport rises to about 40% of the population.

In fact, studies have shown that the features of accessible transport (e.g. wider tram doors, low-floor buses) not only make the travel experience more enjoyable and usable for all members of the public, but actually speed up the system by facilitating alighting and disembarking and provide advantages to tourists (such as in the case of visual displays that indicate the name of the next stop). It is also well-documented that when accessible tramlines or bus lines are introduced that the overall ridership of the system increases. Investing in accessibility makes good business sense – incorporating accessibility at the design stage costs as little as 2% of the overall costs of design and these additional costs are offset by increases in revenue.

Accessible initiatives in transport may be voluntary, but more often than not they are obliged by law. At the national, regional and municipal levels, obligations for transport authorities to provide accessible public transport vary from stringent to non existent. Even though urban transport is not a direct competence of the European Union, at the European level, in the past few years we have seen major developments which have implications for accessible urban transport1. Some of these will be mentioned later in this article.

Sustainable transport is accessible transport

Sustainable is becoming an overused term – it is applied in the context of transport on a frequent basis, but rarely is the obvious connection made between sustainability and accessibility. Truly sustainable transport which ensures both economic viability and long-term usability must by definition be accessible transport. It is both short-sighted and irresponsible for public authorities investing in transport not to invest in accessible transport.

Accessibility must be dealt with in a global and integrated way – social policy makers, physical and urban planners, architects, construction experts, transport engineers, and communication technology specialists should all use a Design for All approach, and they have to do so in a coordinated way. Design for All means designing and developing products, services, systems and environments to be accessible and usable by as broad a range of users as possible. A Design for All approach to transport and its infrastructure is an inclusive sustainable approach that ensures continuity of use and long-term adaptability. Such an approach ultimately contributes to objectives of increased social inclusion and economic performance.

Accessible transport

Accessible transport implies barrier-free transport – trams and buses which are low-floor or which operate on a system whose infrastructure has been adapted to accommodate raised-floor entry.

But inclusive design of the transport system goes beyond design of vehicles and of infrastructure. People with disabilities want all elements of the travel chain to be accessible. This includes trip planning, and ticket reservation or purchase. Real time information about delays or cancellations needs to be communicated both visually and audibly.

People with sensory and learning disabilities should easily be able to consult timetables and reserve tickets over the phone, by Internet or in person. Transport systems must not have empty un-manned stations where tickets can only be purchased from an inaccessible automated machine. And if public access terminals are necessary, all users must be able to operate the terminals without assistance from others.

Different policy objectives on accessibility, sustainability, safety and efficiency are interconnected. A holistic approach is needed to make all the elements work and where it concerns disabled people the implementation of a seamless and fully accessible transport system demands holistic thinking.

EDF has been pleased to see a shift in political thinking and general attitude across governments in Europe and across the transport sector in general recognising that disabled people must be able to access mainstream public transport systems and must no longer be segregated from the rest of society and relegated to use separate transport services.

New legislation – both anti-discrimination legislation and transport-specific regulations and standards – has been adopted over the last 10 years both at a national level and at the European level. Disabled people are beginning to see the benefits as transport manufacturers and operators are developing transport according to Design for All principles.

What do we need to achieve fully accessible transport?

• Horizontal European non-discrimination legislation which applies to access to goods and services which includes transport – disabled people must have their rights set down in legal terms.
• A seamless accessible transport chain: a disabled person will not have full confidence to comfortably and regularly use the public transport system unless all elements of the transport chain are accessible.
• The systematic involvement of representative disability organisations and disabled users in all aspects of the design of transport systems.
• Positive action measures to promote attitudinal change such as disability awareness training across the transport sector.
• Promotion of the economic benefits to be gained by increasing access to transport and so increasing the quality and attractiveness of the transport service for all customers.
• Continuous exchange of best practice, monitoring and evaluation of existing targets and the setting of targets and indicators to avoid quick-fix short-term solutions.
• Investment in accessible transport.
• Mandatory accessibility standards in relation to transport and the built environment with penalties for non- compliance.

Successes at the European level

In the area of urban transport, the lobbying efforts of EDF have been extremely successful – over the past 10 years we have seen significant change and increased awareness. EDF is frequently consulted by relevant European Commission Directorates General for input and expertise on issues of accessibility.

EDF also works in partnership with other transport stakeholder representatives such as UITP, ECMT and EUROCITIES.

Bus and Coaches Directive

In the area of urban transport, the adoption of the Bus and Coaches Directive (2001/85/EC) was a real landmark for the European Disability Forum. The European legislation which requires accessible design of urban buses was the result of a long-fought 10 year campaign to incorporate accessibility criteria into a European Directive whose initial objective was to strengthen safety and manufacturing standards.

The EU Directive on Buses and Coaches applies to newly manufactured buses. The Directive includes provisions on accessibility which require mandatory installation of ramps or lifts to all urban buses. It also requires priority seating, a designated area for wheelchairs and space for a guide dog in the vehicle, and colour contrasting in the interior.

EDF is monitoring implementation of this Directive at national level and will push for enforcement by the European Commission when countries do not implement satisfactorily.

ECMT-EDF Access and Inclusion Award

Another successful initiative that EDF was involved with in cooperation with the European Conference of Transport Ministers (ECMT) was the 2003 Access and Inclusion Award for Transport Services and Infrastructure.

The competition was launched in the context of the European Year of People with Disabilities, the 10th anniversary of the UN Declaration of Disabled People and the 50th anniversary of ECMT. The prize was designated to promote recognition of examples of good practise in improving accessibility to transport, to reward approaches in the field which are inclusive of all disabled people, as well as to recognise the importance of consulting with representative disability organisations.

Winners of the 2003 ECMT-EDF prize were the Syndicat Mixte des Transports en Commun de l’agglomeration grenobloise (Grenoble) and VAG Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Nurnberg (Nurnberg). Both winning organisations, selected out of 56 candidate dossiers, demonstrated long-term commitment to improving accessibility of their transport systems, having introduced accessibility initiatives for the first time approximately 30 years earlier.

Grenoble was particularly recognised for its successful coordination and coherence achieved among stakeholders in the 23 municipalities of its region. Also remarkable was its forward-thinking proactive approach – initiating actions on a local level which pushed forward the national regulatory context.

Nurnberg demonstrated an exemplary long-standing commitment to fully integrating accessibility considerations into the planning and operations of it transport system, with an Accessibility Commissioner overseeing accessibility features of its system – notably for blind and visually impaired passengers.

Nurnberg and Grenoble both showed commitment to ensuring the seamless, door-to-door nature of travel for disabled persons and their commitment to regular consultation and coordination with disabled persons and disability organisations was clear.

European Mobility Week

More recently, in partnership with EUROCITIES and the European Commission, EDF participated in the European Mobility Award. In June 2004, the city of Ljubljana (Slovenia) was appointed as the official winner of the award which recognises local action to promote sustainable transport in European cities and towns. In 2004, special focus was given to permanent measures taken to improve accessibility.

Chosen among the 723 European cities invited to participate in this year’s award and winning against two other finalists (Almada, Portugal and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain) Ljubljana was selected by the members of the jury for its commitment to the improvement of local transport, including accessibility for disabled users.

Ljubljana Public Transport has confirmed its commitment to continue its efforts in favour of accessible local buses, taking into account the specific needs of disabled users (access for wheelchair users, information in alternative formats for visually impaired people, and training for the drivers).

Public Procurement/EU Structural Funds

The use of public procurement legislation both on a European and national level is a vital tool for ensuring accessible public transport.

Recent Directives 2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC adopted at the European level will give local authorities the opportunity to include accessibility requirements in their calls for tender. In procuring services, public authorities can influence the design and content of services and products.

At this time EDF is strongly campaigning for there to be accessibility criteria as requisite conditions for receiving EU funding – public funding! Structural Funds constitute one of the most important financial instruments at European level for improving the situation of disabled people.

Over 30% of the EU budget (or €336 billion) is devoted to the Funds which play a significant role in shaping local, regional, national as well as European policy. Much of this public funding goes towards transport and new urban infrastructure. The use of public funds must be spent on public services accessible to all.

With enlargement and an EU of 25, many new Member States will be receiving huge financial support to revitalise their transport systems. These are investments that must take accessibility into account from the start.

It is unacceptable that any public expenditure perpetuate the exclusion of a segment of the population by building new barriers or failing to eliminate existing ones. EU institutions, Member States and regions must recognise the impact that Structural Funds have in creating an accessible environment for all. Sustainable investment means investing in accessibility.

Accessible built environment indispensable

Accessible transport systems are ineffective unless coupled with an accessible built environment.

“Accessibility should be dealt with in a global and integrated way, cutting across all policy areas – including construction, information and communication technology, health and safety at the workplace, public procurement, and so on: It should no longer be the arena of building or transport experts alone. It should be achieved by a coordination of all actors involved.”

This is the view put forward by the Independent Expert Group on Access to the Built Environment, set up by the European Commission. The Report identifies the lack of awareness in the professional sector as one of the most serious obstacles to achieving accessibility.

Conclusion

Essential to sustainable development is the need to ensure that all members of society, including disabled people, have full and equal access to an integrated, adaptable and affordable transport system. Ultimately, accessible transport depends on several factors:

• It requires an awareness among professionals who are standards developers and designers
• It requires an understanding among manufacturers
• It implies the participation of users, including people with disabilities
• It will be encouraged by local authorities who include it as a public procurement criteria
• It will be widespread if EU funding mechanisms implement access criteria
• It requires a willingness among politicians and decision-makers to recognise the benefits
• Accessible transport will be ensured when standards become legally binding and rights are enshrined in law

Reference

1. For example, Public Procurement Directives (2004/17/EC and 2004/18/EC) encourage public authorities to take into account accessibility requirements in public contracts awards whenever possible; Employment Framework Directive (2000/78/EC) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodation for disabled employees (this will have an impact on accessible workplaces in the transport sector); Bus and Coach Directive (2001/85/EC) requires accessibility features in the design of all new urban buses. Lift Directive (95/16/EC) includes accessibility criteria.