Tag Archive: accessibility

  1. Report: The impact of automated transport on disabled people

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    Source: TRL Limited

    UK transportation committee TRL Limited (TRL) and the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) have produced a report on the topic of automated transport’s impact on disabled people, with funding from the Motability Foundation.

    It has been reported that in the context of automated transport, accessibility is often less prioritised with new technology and services, due to the need for rapid deployment and return of investment. This report has been produced to help prevent accessibility slipping down the radar with the objective to “support the development of inclusive automated transport technologies and services by understanding the needs, perceptions and challenges faced by disabled people.

    Research questions

    The following were explored with stakeholder engagement, disability organisations, automated technology developers and transport operators, focus groups and a survey with disabled people and usability trials of two existing automated services:

    • Identify the benefits of automated transport for disabled people.
    • Identify and prioritise the challenges faced by disabled people with automated transport.
    • Identify the extent to which accessibility is currently being considered in the design and development of automated transport technologies and services, including any good practice examples.
    • Identify design principles and recommended solutions to support the design, development and implementation of inclusive automated transport.

    Challenges for disabled people

    Disabled participants noted many positives of automated transport but their answers also raised many challenges that they face. It is believed that the barriers that exist for them with non-automated transport will continue to exist for automated transport, e.g. buying tickets. The results imply that it is not just the vehicle itself that needs to improved for accessibility, but also surrounding infrastructure including digital systems and interfaces, information provision, transfers to other transportation and the built environment. Findings also implicate that there’s a diverse range of barriers for different people which needs to be accommodated for, and that the licensing needs to be more clear about eligibility.

    Stakeholder feedback

    A representative of 28 stakeholders from industry and disability organisations were interviewed. Themes that were identified included:

    • Support was expressed towards designing automated vehicles for the differing needs of disabled people, however a one-size fit all approach isn’t commercially viable for disabled people with differing needs and barriers.
    • There is not enough guidance on making automated transport more accessible, which risks accessibility being inconsistent across different services.
    • There needs to be more inclusiveness for different customer groups however there was an inconsistency in results reporting.
    • Some operators and technology services have already launched features to enhance non-automated transport services, which can also be used for automated services.

    Recommendations

    The study recommends that a clear and comprehensive framework of regulation and policy is needed to deliver market direction, guidance and incentives for providing accessible automation. It has also advised specific objectives to help tackle challenges that have been identified in the results.

  2. Micromobility UK 2024 discusses accessibility and inclusion

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    Source: Zag Daily

    Industry leaders gathered at Micromobility UK 2024 in Warwick to explore how shared micromobility services can be made more inclusive for disabled individuals.

    During the ‘Accessibility and Inclusion – Practice vs Policy’ workshop on September 18, CoMoUK, the Motability Foundation, and Wheels for Wellbeing presented evidence showing how shared micromobility can address mobility challenges faced by disabled people, emphasizing the importance of their inclusion in future legislation.

    Research by Wheels for Wellbeing reveals that 75% of disabled people find cycling easier than walking, yet CoMoUK noted that fewer than 10% of disabled individuals currently use shared micromobility services.

    “It’s really scary to see a whole new realm of public transport, which is micromobility, potentially developing in a way that excludes disabled people,” Wheels for Wellbeing Campaigns and Policy Manager Dr Kay Inckle said. “There’s a real urgency to ensure that disabled people, who make up 20% of the UK population, can utilise these services.”

    Steering legislation with Wheels for Wellbeing

    Research from Wheels for Wellbeing indicates that 90% of mobility-impaired individuals lack a suitable mobility aid for completing a 1-kilometre journey. Additionally, disabled people take 38% fewer trips across all UK transport sectors than non-disabled individuals.

    Earlier this year, Sandra Witzel, Board Trustee of the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers, told Zag that this gap in transport accessibility limits disabled people’s ability to attend healthcare appointments, socialize, shop, and fully participate in daily life.

    Dr. Kay Inckle outlined Wheels for Wellbeing’s legislative proposals, which include explicitly recognizing disabled people, as defined by the UK Equality Act 2010, as users of micromobility devices. The organization also calls for the end of mobility aids being classified as ‘invalid carriages’ – a legal term for vehicles used to assist with physical disabilities, such as mobility scooters. Currently, only vehicles in this category can be used as mobility aids.

    “We need to end this idea that disabled people’s mobility is regulated under a completely separate category than everybody else, and disabled people are only allowed to use vehicles as mobility aids that qualify under ‘invalid carriages’. It’s so discriminatory and it holds back innovation.

    “There needs to be Low-speed Zero Emission Vehicles (LZEVs) for everybody and disabled people should be able to pick the LZEV that’s best for them. If you’re disabled you can use it in pedestrian spaces. If you’re not disabled, you can’t.

    “It’s simplifying the categories so that it’s no longer about what disabled people can use, but instead how they can use them differently.”

    CoMoUK’s Five Key Barriers to Access

    Antonia Charlton, Deputy Chief Executive of CoMoUK, presented findings from a Motability Foundation project on the future of micromobility services for disabled people. She identified five key barriers that need to be addressed to make shared micromobility more accessible: awareness and understanding, accessible communication channels, safety concerns, access to schemes, and vehicle adaptations.

    To improve understanding, Antonia called for more representative marketing, along with the testing of apps and websites to ensure compatibility with different user groups.

    On safety, she advocated for technical adaptations, such as adding harnesses to bikes, safety alarms, enhanced emergency support services, free trials, and improved segregated infrastructure.

    “Safety concerns are there for everybody,” Antonia told the workshop. “But if you are a vulnerable user, those concerns are obviously heightened.” 

    To enhance access to shared bike and scooter schemes for disabled individuals, Antonia recommended designing more accessible parking bays and hubs, and providing staff assistance for first-time riders.

    Regarding vehicle adaptation, she suggested a division between ‘minor’ adjustments, such as altering seat height and handlebar positions, and ‘major’ adaptations, like three-wheel vehicles, two-seater options, wheelchair add-ons, and hand-operated controls.

  3. A call is open for the CIVITAS Replication and Deployment programme for 24 Champion Cities

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    Source: CIVITAS

    The CIVITAS initiative aids cities in accessing innovative solutions and tackling their transportation issues by facilitating activities including twinning sessions, co-creation workshops, and site visits.

    A call is open until 16 January 2024 for Champion Cities, to work alongside selected Challenge Cities. These cities must have expertise in one of three areas:

    1. Sustainable urban logistics (Selected Challenge Cities: Funchal (PT), and Bruges (BE))
    2. Placemaking and participatory processes (Selected Challenge Cities: Riga (LT), and Istanbul (TR))
    3. Universal design and accessibility (Selected Challenge Cities: Kadıköy (TR), and Komitini (GR))

    Champion Cities will share their expertise and best practices with the selected Challenge Cities. The selected Challenge Cities are listed above with their respective topic area.

    From 2023 to 2027, CIVITAS plans to enlist 12 Challenge cities and 24 Champion cities to participate in the programme, involving diverse take-up and transfer activities such as twinning sessions, co-creation workshops, and site visits. Through the CIVITAS Replication and Deployment programme, the 12 Challenge Cities will each craft a Deployment Plan aimed at resolving their specific mobility challenges.

    Fill in the Champion Cities application form.

  4. E-bikes might improve accessibility for rural residents

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    Source: Fietsberaad CROW

    A report by the Dutch Kennisinstituut voor Mobiliteitsbeleid (Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy) contains assessments and insights on the role of the electric bicycle in improving the lives of those who live in rural areas

    According to a recent report by the Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy, residents of urban and rural areas experience no difference in the accessibility of jobs, education and shopping. Both in the city and in the countryside, the bicycle can play a role in improving accessibility.

    The Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy recently published the report The development of mobility and accessibility in the urban and rural Netherlands. The report is based on a study into the development of mobility and accessibility from 2018 to 2040 in four types of areas: urban areas experiencing growth, urban areas experiencing decline, rural areas experiencing growth, and rural areas experiencing decline.

    The accessibility of destinations such as jobs, educational institutions and shops differs between these areas, but the researchers do not see this reflected in the perception of accessibility. Although the number of facilities in rural areas is lower and the distance to them is greater, residents of these areas do not experience less accessibility to these facilities than residents of the city. Possibly car ownership, sufficient income to use the car and internet access to smartly plan or replace activities play a role here, as does the conscious choice of a residential location in relation to desired activities. The most important message of the report is therefore to include the perception of the inhabitants when looking for solutions for accessibility, in order to check whether they actually experience objectively identified problems or bottlenecks as such.

    According to KiM, the car will remain the most important mode of transport in rural areas. Regular public transport is under pressure due to shrinking population numbers and can be replaced by small-scale public transport for people who depend on it, but also partly by e-bikes for distances of up to 20 kilometres. Cycle routes and fast cycle routes should improve the connection with urban areas.
    In the city, because of the quality of the living environment, the reduction of the car is central in favor of public transport, cycling and walking.

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