Mediate – Methodology for Describing the Accessibility of Transport in Europe Good practice guide

Project Number: 218684 Project co-funded by the European Commission within the Seventh Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (FP7)

Deliverable Number: D3.3 Deliverable Name: Good Practice Guide Deliverable Lead Partner: Transport for London Authors: Ann Frye, Stephen Golden Contents

Executive summary 06 Section 1: Background and context 08 1 Background to Mediate project 08 2 Purpose of the good practice guide 09 3 Defining good practice 09 4 Methodology used to produce the guide 10 5 The scope 12

Section 2: Good practice examples 14 1 Leadership and vision 14 1.1 Creating Berlin without barriers (Berlin) 14 1.2 Financial commitment to provide cutting edge access facilities (Merseyside) 16 1.3 Industrial design process to deliver access to new lines () 18 1.4 Comprehensive vision of accessibility (The KOLLA Project, Göteborg) 21 2. Organisational and policy initiatives 23 2.1 Helsinki for all project (Helsinki) 24 2.2 Comprehensive commitment to accessibility (Vienna) 26 2.3 Project on use of by older people (Salzburg) 30 2.4 Long-term commitment to accessibility (Nürnberg) 32 2.5 Procurement process for accessible rail rolling stock (Stuttgart) 35 3 Staff training 37 3.1 Disability awareness training for drivers and managers (Transdev) 38 3.2 Training for railway staff (Luxembourg) 39 4 Travel training for passengers 41 4.1 Travel mentoring service (London) 42 4.2 Supported travel service (Paris/Ile de ) 44 4.3 Training and familiarisation sessions run by drivers (Stuttgart) 46 4.4 Travel ambassadors (Enschede) 48

4 5 Passenger feedback and monitoring systems 50 5.1 Working group on accessible and open (Prague) 50 6 Accessible information and communication systems 52 6.1 iBus real time on-bus audio and visual information (London) 52 6.2 Audio announcement system at public transport stops (Sofia) 55 7 Level access through the transport system 56 7.1 Design for all approach (Catalonia) 57 7.2 Universal accessibility for all public transport users (Burgos) 59 7.3 Flexible system linking with public transport (Göteborg) 61 7.4 Accessible modern boat service () 63 7.5 National policy on bus accessibility (The ) 65 8 Improvements to infrastructure and the pedestrian environment 67 8.1 Pedestrian accessibility plan (Lisbon) 68 8.2 Easy access to Stockholm (Stockholm) 70 8.3 Modifying public transport stops (Krakow) 72 8.4 Low cost improvements to pedestrian access (Helsingborg) 74 9 Ticketing systems 77 9.1 Design of Metro ticket machines (Barcelona) 77

Section 3: Conclusions and further resources 80 1 Conclusions 80 2 Further resources 81 2.1 Accessibility indicators 81 2.2 Self-assessment tool 82 2.3 APTIE website 82 2.4 End user platform 82 2.5 Information 82

5 Mediate > > Good Good practice practice guide guide

Executive summary

Good practice in the field of transport • Include engagement with disabled accessibility is an evolving concept. and older people at every stage There is no easy or universal definition • Start from a social or functional model of what constitutes good practice. It of disability and not from a medical will depend on the starting point of the model (in other words addressing the city in question and on the economic barriers that poorly designed systems and cultural traditions of that city, or infrastructure create) region or country. • Respect the rights of disabled and In choosing examples to include in older people to be treated with dignity this guide, it is important to recognise that simple low cost schemes can • Have as a goal, if not a current be as valuable as expensive and reality, fully independent mobility that sophisticated ones. The most important enables disabled and older people step towards accessibility is the first to travel without the support or one which shows commitment and intervention of others understanding on the part of the city Taking these criteria as a starting authorities and/or transport operators. point, examples have been selected However, there are some fundamental that illustrate a range of initiatives, and non-negotiable principles that including specific schemes or projects underpin the schemes and projects that targeted at improvements such as have been included. They must: pedestrian infrastructure or training.

6 ExecutiveChapter summary one

Others focus on the policy or strategy The examples that have been of the authority, enabling them to included are not an exhaustive list create a climate where accessibility but they are representative of a cross- becomes an integral part of transport section of cities of different sizes with planning and provision. different levels of development and Some examples involve significant investment, and different levels of investment and a substantial continuing evolution in their policies and practices cost. In most cases these are on accessibility. The guide can be improvements that benefit everyone and used as a source of ideas and of are supported as part of a city’s policy contacts to develop and explore. to provide accessible public transport. It is unlikely that any of the examples Other initiatives are much lower cost, could simply be lifted and replicated sometimes one-off improvements in a different environment, but the that serve a particular clearly defined processes that have been followed purpose. Both can provide value but, in the planning and implementation in general terms, the more that access of schemes may contain useful tips improvements can be integrated into and examples that can be followed the design and operation of services, or adapted. the more they benefit all public transport users, the less costly and the more effective they are likely to be.

7 Mediate > > Good Good practice practice guide guide

Section 1: Background and context

1. Background to accessibility indicators for urban public transport, a self-assessment Mediate project tool, a good practice guide, a web- Mediate (MEthodology for Describing portal on public transport accessibility the Accessibility of Transport in Europe) (www.aptie.eu/) and a sustained is a two-year project supported by European end-user platform. the European Commission under the The partners of the Mediate seventh Framework Programme. consortium are: The impetus for the project comes • SINTEF (project coordinator) – from the demographic trends common to those in Europe. The population is ageing, and already one in every ten • Promotion of Operational Links European citizens is aged 60 or over. with Integrated Services (POLIS) – There is a close correlation between age and disability. More than half the • The European Older People’s population of older people live in urban Platform (AGE) – Belgium areas, so it is becoming increasingly • Transport & Travel Research Ltd important for urban transport systems (TTR) – to be accessible. • Transport for London (TfL) – The overall objective of Mediate (www. United Kingdom mediate-project.eu) is to contribute to the development of inclusive • IMOB Transportation Research urban transport systems with better Institute, Hasselt University – Belgium access for all citizens. The Mediate • TIS.pt – project objective is to develop a common methodology for measuring • TIMENCO – Belgium accessibility to transport including

8 Section 1: BackgroundChapter and context one

2. Purpose of the good They include both major capital cities practice guide and small regional towns. This guide is intended as a tool The intention is to provide examples to help authorities and transport where many other European cities can operators plan and implement find some common ground, and identify accessibility improvements. issues and approaches that may be of benefit. It has been produced with input from cities all over Europe and covers a 3. Defining good practice wide spectrum of examples of different In recent years there have been a types of initiatives. The common thread number of projects with a remit of running through all of them is that they identifying examples of good or best are making a real, practical difference practice. This is not as easy as it sounds. to the daily lives of disabled and older people. What is ideal for one person or group of people with disabilities may be The guide includes examples of a range impossible for another person or group. of different initiatives that can be used Accessibility can be very subjective. It in isolation and also as part of a larger is also evident that many schemes or review of initiatives to create a barrier- initiatives have some good features but free city. also some shortcomings in how they have been set up or how they operate. The cities and areas quoted in the guide are from 15 different countries It is clear that good practice can also be and from a number of different regions a subjective concept. What is perceived of Europe. They demonstrate a wide as good practice in one country may range of transport infrastructures, be regarded in another as outdated or cultures and economic situations. even discriminatory. Some countries

9 Mediate > > Good Good practice practice guide guide

have been committed politically and family or other support networks and economically to the improvement may enable people to return to the of accessibility for more than 25 labour market or broaden their personal years, while for others it is still hardly horizons in other ways. recognised as a relevant issue. This project aims to take a robust Another problem is that very few approach to identifying and verifying schemes or initiatives have been what good practice is. The methodology independently evaluated. There are used is set out below. However, it is many subjective assessments of important to recognise that even using schemes that are perceived to be this approach there will be subjective successful but there are very few, clear elements in the self-assessment analyses of costs and benefits. process that cities have used and that Schemes that are for the benefit of not all aspects of every scheme will be disabled people are often justified universally endorsed as good practice. on social grounds as much as on Nonetheless, the information contained economic ones. Nonetheless, a in this guide will provide a useful and sustainable scheme should have a firm practical starting point for cities all over economic foundation. Quite a number Europe which are working to improve of schemes that have been deemed the accessibility of their public transport to be successful in terms of delivering and its infrastructure. benefits to disabled people have subsequently failed because funding 4. Methodology used to was withdrawn after a pilot phase. produce the guide There are also, of course, many The cities that have contributed intangible benefits such as increasing examples to this guide were asked to the confidence of disabled people to describe their scheme or project; who travel independently. These benefits it was intended to help; how disabled may, in turn, reduce dependence on

10 Section 1: BackgroundChapter and context one

Planning

User needs Leadership Guidelines and Means and policy on paper personnel

Evaluation 1. Ad hoc 3. System-orientated Vehicles and and effects 2. Isolated 4. Integrated built environment

Results Seamless Training and Information travel education and ticketing

Evaluation Implementation and older people had been involved local need or initiative, but which is both in developing the scheme and not yet fully evaluated (for example in monitoring it, and how secure the a one-off initiative in response to a scheme was in terms of funding. specific complaint or problem) Cities were also asked to consider • Isolated approach: A project or User Leadership Policy the approach they had taken needsto developmenton pape specificallyr intended implementing the scheme using the to meet the needs of disabled and Evaluation Means and Total Qualityand ef fectManagements (TQM) older people, but whichpersonnel is not yet cycle. This involves a continuous cycle embedded as part of the transport of planning, actions and evaluation system (for example an initiative that to enable policy to be reviewed and is self-contained and does not link refined so that the best results can with other parts of the public transport be achieved. This approach can be system or other policy areas) Complementary Vehicles and particularly helpfulactions in this field where • Systematic approach:infrastructur A projecte there is often little experiencePromotion of and Travelling partnerships informationor development which has been what works best for people who may planned and is being evaluated on have had little opportunity to access a regular basis to ensure feedback public transport in the past. Using from all stakeholders (for example an this approach will help to ensure that initiative which has been developed initiatives are reviewed and improved as part of a wider policy and in which on a continuous basis. end users have been involved from As there are examples of good practice an early stage) that are still evolving, projects and • Integrated approach: A project or initiatives have been included under the development which has been fully following four stages of development: integrated into the public transport • Ad-hoc approach: A project or network and for which a routine and development which has been ongoing cycle of monitoring and introduced in response to a particular evaluation is in place

1111 Mediate > > Good Good practice practice guide guide

In most cases, the cities themselves The categories are: have identified the development stage • Leadership and vision that they believe best represents the scheme they are describing. Where they • Organisational and policy initiatives have not done so, an assessment has • Staff training been made based on the description of • Travel training for passengers the process. The assessment has been done on an informal and subjective • Passenger feedback and basis for illustrative purposes only monitoring systems and has not been subject to scrutiny • Information and communication by stakeholders. systems (including journey planning) A more formalised Self Assessment tool • Level access through the has been developed by the Mediate transport system project. The purpose of the tool is to • Improvements to infrastructure and enable local authorities to undertake a the pedestrian environment structured review of the progress they are making towards full accessibility • Ticketing systems and to identify gaps and weaknesses Although cities were asked to select that need to be addressed. More details one category that best covered the can be found on the Mediate website at scheme they were describing, several http://www.mediate-project.eu/. identified more than one category and some indicated that their scheme 5. The scope included elements of all the categories. The schemes and projects described in In these cases, the scheme has been this guide cover a wide range of different allocated to the category which seemed kinds of initiative. Cities were asked to to be the most important but other identify initiatives under one of the nine elements that are also present have headings which Mediate felt covered the been indicated. spectrum of access improvements.

12 Section 1: BackgroundChapter and context one

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Section 2: Good practice examples

1. Leadership and vision senior levels in the city to achieve accessibility in a way that goes This category looks at examples of beyond basic legal requirements and strategic initiatives which have come shows real vision and commitment to from senior people within organisations delivering independent mobility. and have created a climate within which accessibility improvements can flourish. A number of other examples in this guide also show clear evidence of In order to deliver sustainable leadership and vision. These include improvements in accessibility, it is Stockholm (8.2) and Helsinki (2.1), vital to have the right culture within Nürnberg (2.4) and Vienna (2.2). an organisation. This means that someone in a senior position within the 1.1 Berlin, organisation sees it as a clear priority and is willing to promote it in terms of Population more than 3.5 million policy and funding. Creating a Berlin without barriers There are four examples under this Since 1992 Berlin has been pursuing heading. The first is from Berlin, which a goal to create a barrier-free city. The has been described by some disabled Public Transport Company of Berlin, people as Europe’s most accessible city. Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG), the The second example is from Merseyside, Suburban Rail Company (S-Bahn an area in the North West of England Berlin GmbH) and the Public Transport including the city of Liverpool. The Association of Berlin, Verkehrsverbund third example comes from the region Berlin/Brandenburg (VBB), as well of Copenhagen and in as other organisations involved, are . The fourth example comes keen to provide barrier-free access to from Göteborg in . all public transport modes, including taxis for all disabled people. This is an The four examples are very different ongoing commitment. but each illustrates a commitment from

14 Section 2: Leadership and vision

Guidelines for the further development Berlin has nine underground lines, 15 of Berlin as a barrier-free city were suburban rail lines, 149 bus routes and published in September 1992. Those 23 tram routes. Today, one hundred guidelines set out a requirement that per cent of buses are wheelchair all stations, vehicles and equipment accessible and around 40 per cent of should be designed and constructed to trams (with a target of 100 per cent be useable by disabled people without accessibility by 2018). The new Flexity external assistance. Berlin trams have good levels of The guidelines aimed to provide a accessibility. All suburban train stations guarantee that disabled people could are accessible. In addition 57 per cent use public transport modes throughout of suburban stations and underground the area. Improvements have been stations have guidance systems for introduced on an incremental basis with visually impaired people. full user involvement at all stages. For Seventy-nine underground stations and example, there have been field trials 107 suburban rail stations are equipped with wheelchair users to assess the with lifts or ramps. relative merits of powered and manual BVG also runs a training programme for ramps for suburban trains. disabled people on how to use public At the start, the transport planning transport, called Mobilitätstraining. process was more oriented toward The Mobidat website gives online or integration. But the focus now is on telephone information on a wide range inclusion (e.g. independent mobility of access features and facilities in instead of door-to-door services). Berlin including public transport. The The aim of this strategy is to meet quality and accuracy of this website is the needs of large numbers of people assured by a staff of 100 employees including older people and children, who gather the data by visiting the sites as well as disabled people through a and facilities in the city of Berlin. They design for all approach. also have discussions with the owners

15 Mediate > > Good Good practice practice guide guide

u Liverpool: Disabled person’s toilet and changing facility of the facilities about the need for specifically on the basis of increased access improvements. numbers of disabled passengers. Facilities offered on the website include Funding real-time information on, for example, The costs of accessibility are met by problems with lifts at underground the BVG, supported by the Government stations to help wheelchair users of Berlin. and others plan their journeys with Further information confidence. This information can also Contact: Manfred Walk, Senate be sent direct to a user’s mobile phone Department for Urban Development, by text message. The same system City of Berlin can provide information en route about service disruption or delay. Email: [email protected] The aim of creating a Berlin without barriers is central to all policy making Websites: www.mobidat.net and quality management. www.stadtentwicklung.berlin.de This initiative is assessed by the City as demonstrating an integrated approach 1.2 Merseyside, UK to quality management. Population 1.4 million Evaluation and results Commitment to pushing No formal quantitative data is available boundaries of accessibility but there is strong anecdotal evidence The example of leadership and of a growing number of disabled people vision described here comes from using the public transport system. Merseytravel, the passenger transport There are no specific measures of authority for the Merseyside area. success. The philosophy is that access It is about making the financial improvements are good for everyone commitment to provide cutting edge and do not need to be justified facilities to demonstrate the benefits

1616 Section 2: Leadership and vision

of pushing the boundaries and raising The terminal itself is an interchange access standards. This is seen as hub, linking the waterfront to other part of a commitment to be a world transport networks in and out of the city. class organisation in the delivery of The building also includes restaurants accessible transport. Merseytravel and visitor attractions. also has a universal accessibility The scope and definition for the philosophy, which is a key concept in project came from a variety of sources building design. including Merseytravel’s own code The key objectives are to increase the of practice on accessibility, national number of disabled people able to use guidelines on accessible design and public transport and to enable people input from specialist access officers in with complex toileting or changing Merseyside. needs (for example with incontinence) Disabled people were involved to be able to travel with confidence and throughout the design and build process to enjoy the city. Providing facilities including site visits and meetings. of this kind enables more people to participate in the economic and social Responsibility for the project rests life of the area. with Mersey Ferries – a publicly funded body. The specific scheme described is a disabled person’s adult changing facility The development has been in place for at the New Pier Head Ferry Terminal nine months and it is a permanent part in Liverpool. The changing place is of a new ferry terminal. a dedicated room within the public The project is described as creative and area of the ferry terminal building. The innovative but ad hoc in terms of quality facilities include specialist equipment management. The redevelopment to support the complex needs of adults of the ferry terminal and the funding with incontinence and other conditions package available provided a unique that necessitate changing clothes. opportunity to go beyond what a

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u Copenhagen: Early Metro test at one of the elevated stations. standard accessible toilet facility specific changing room facility, over can provide. and above traditional accessible toilet Evaluation and results provision were €15,000. The ongoing Qualitative evidence of the value of the costs will be met through the revenue scheme is gathered through customer budget allocation. satisfaction surveys and complaint The funding for the overall ferry forms, available to customers using the terminal construction came from ferry terminal services and facilities. a range of sources including The main quantitative measure is Merseytravel’s own funding, the growing visitor numbers to the ferry European Regional Development Fund terminal and growing feedback on and the Mersey Waterfront Partnership. the use of, and satisfaction with, the Further information changing place facility. Contact: Paula Copple, Partnership There is evidence of increasing Officer, Merseytravel numbers of disabled and older people Email: seeking to be included in mainstream [email protected] activities and opportunities. The demographic trends show a rise in 1.3 Copenhagen, Denmark the number of older people in the Population 1.4 million population is also a factor. Industrial design process to The success criterion is evidence that deliver accessibility the facility is used and is meeting the The example given is about the needs of a particular group of people . In particular it and their families. describes the process carried out Funding before tendering for a new Metro The equipment costs for the system. It examines how the lessons

18 Section 2: Leadership and vision Photo: Metroselskabet/René Strandbygaard

learned from the operation of Metro special mock-ups and high-levels of lines M1 and , which have been engagement with user groups. in service since 2002, have been The scheme is the responsibility built into the development of the of the operator (a commercial specifications for the new system company) supervised by the terms (Cityringen) lines M3 and using of the contract together with the the design for all philosophy. employer (Metroselskabet), which The key objective is to create a fully represents the owners (the Danish inclusive, yet efficient Metro system. state and the two cities of The inclusive design approach is Copenhagen and Frederiksberg). regarded as beneficial to this The M1 line started operation in outcome. The project came from a 2002. The process of accessibility political initiative based on a legal testing started back in 1994/95. The requirement for accessibility and was work to ensure maximum accessibility linked to the development of a new of the new Cityringen system started city district – Ørestaden. in 2008 and will continue throughout The Metro is designed to be used the procurement and design phases. by everyone. The guiding philosophy The new system will come into is that disabled people should be service in 2018. able to travel with as little assistance The specification for the new Cityringen as possible. The Cityringen will contains (in addition to all the lessons have a special dedicated team to learned from the existing Metro) ensure that accessibility is integral detailed requirements for an early to the project. industrial design process carried An industrial design process was through by the supplier and controlled introduced alongside the technical by the employer during the acceptance specification requirements using process of the system. The process

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u Göteborg: Passengers travelling on a Flexlinjen vehicle includes preparation of scale 1:1 mock- older and disabled passengers has ups for use in tests and workshops increased slowly, in part because the with all types of passenger groups. system is limited and still quite new, The feedback from these sessions and in part because older people will be included in the supplier’s remain reluctant to use the system. documentation for the final construction These lessons have been built into the of the system. design of the Cityringen system. The process has been described There is also evidence that the Metro (through informal self assessment) system has given many disabled as both a systematic and integrated people the freedom to use public approach to quality management. transport rather than special services, Evaluation and results although there can still be problems User satisfaction data is collected and at peak times. These problems will published on a regular basis. There be addressed by ensuring better flow has been very positive feedback from conditions in the Cityringen system. disability groups on the existing Metro The key performance indicator and on the commitment to include is satisfaction levels from lessons learned from six years of passenger feedback. service in the plans for the new system. The success criteria will be the number Particular points for improvement of passengers using the system and include the use of colour contrast positive feedback from passengers to assist people with low vision, and staff. the availability of support etc for Funding standing passengers and an improved Funding is an integral part of the Metro information system. development in Copenhagen and Passenger characteristic analysis is separate figures for accessibility are carried out regularly. The number of not available.

20 Section 2: Leadership and vision

Further information than 50 per cent. The aim is for: Contact: Henrik Priess Christensen. • Ninety-eight per cent of people in Industrial Designer, Cityringen Railway Göteborg to be able to travel by Email: [email protected] public transport Website: www.//intl.m.dk/ • More accessible public transport for everyone in Göteborg 1.4 The KOLLA project, • The boundary between STS, for Göteborg, Sweden example, demand-responsive Population 500,000 transport and public transport to be eliminated A comprehensive vision of accessibility The KOLLA project started in the Project KOLLA – Public Transport for autumn of 2004 with a vision to remove All is a comprehensive set of initiatives the boundary between STS and in Göteborg. Elements of the project ordinary public transport. include: modified public transport stops The project was planned by a group and accessible pedestrian routes to of people from different organisations the stops, flexible transport services including the public transport authority, (Flex Lines) in all parts of the city, the STS provider and researchers. staff-training, free travel training for Disabled and older people were very disabled people, personal assistance closely involved in implementing the to make transfers, new IT-programmes, project. The authorities meet with the information and marketing. users’ committees between four to six The key objectives are to increase times a year. travel by regular public transport and The project ends in 2010. From Flex Lines, and to reduce travel by STS then on the intention is to form a (door-to-door) buses and taxis by more

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cooperative group of STS, the Traffic and Västtrafik, the regional public Office and Public Transport Authority transport authority. in the city, Västtrafik (regional PTA) The project managers say that they and the regional part of the Swedish have followed a systematic approach to Road Administration. This group will quality management. manage delivery of KOLLA and focus on ensuring that decisions taken in Evaluation and results the city are compatible with the goal of Västtrafik constantly measures how accessibility for all citizens. satisfied travellers are with public transport. Currently satisfaction levels The most important continuing issues are at 60 per cent. When Västtrafik are likely to be adaptation of stops measures what travellers think and pedestrian routes to stops, driver about their latest journey the current training, vehicles, payment systems, satisfaction levels are at 83 per cent. the development of Flex Lines and information and travel training. Researchers have also carried out a service user review on public transport. The impetus for the project was partly Ten people who have STS but also use the Swedish law that requires public public transport wrote a diary for 14 transport and public buildings to be days covering every journey they made accessible to disabled people by 2010 on public transport. This enabled the and partly the need to cut the rising authority to identify where the problems costs of STS. are for this group and make plans on All buses are low-floor and more than how to solve them. 60 per cent of the trams are low-floor. STS provided 700,000 trips in 2005 The project is coordinated by Special and the goal was to reduce the Transport Service (STS), in cooperation number to 225,000 by the end of with Trafikkontoret, the traffic and 2010. It soon became apparent that public transport authority in the city, this was over optimistic because of

22 Section 2: Organisational and policy initiatives

the time taken to introduce low-floor travel by bus and tram. During 2009, trams and to persuade STS users the number of STS trips decreased to change their travel habits. In by 138,000 compared with 2004, a 2009 there were 578,000 STS trips reduction of 19 per cent. The number compared with the 355,000 trips of trips on the Flex Lines by STS forecast. The revised trip forecast for passengers increased to 44,000 over 2010 is now 532,000. Looking ahead, the same period of time. it is thought that by 2015, STS trips Funding will be around 400,000. Funding comes from STS and the city Since 2008, people over 65 travel free of Göteborg. off-peak on public transport. Västtrafik Total costs of the KOLLA project are found that after a year older people €46m; improvements to stops and were making twice as many trips as pedestrian access are €31m. they had before. Further information Twenty-five per cent of people eligible Contact: Eva Rodsta, Information for STS have increased their use Director and Project Manager, City of public transport as a result of the of Göteborg KOLLA initiative and all the work to make Göteborg more accessible. Email: [email protected] In the period from 2004-2009, travel with STS has decreased by 19 per Website: www.goteborg.se or cent. Studies show that people are www.kolla.goteborg.se travelling instead by Flex Lines, public transport or with relatives. 2. Organisational and Success is measured by the changing policy initiatives travel patterns of disabled people in the This section contains six examples of city. STS passengers now increasingly initiatives where organisations have

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u Helsinki: Dropped kerb with colour contrast to help both wheelchair users and people with low vision used policy to change direction or A number of the schemes described promote accessibility more effectively. under other headings also have The examples include two capital interesting aspects to the way that cities:, Helsinki and Vienna. There they have developed policy in this are also three smaller but important area. See Stockholm (8.2) and cities: Salzburg in , Nürnberg Helsingborg (8.4). in Germany and the Greater Stuttgart region in Germany. 2.1 Helsinki, Having the right level of commitment Population 550,000 and focus, and the right policies in “Helsinki for All” project place is fundamental to delivering The Helsinki for All project is a access improvements. Too often in a cooperative venture established city or other administration, there are by the Helsinki City Board in 2002 only a handful of people, or perhaps and headed by the Public Works only one, trying to drive forward the Department. Representatives of city accessibility agenda. The examples offices, associations of disabled and given here include some specific older people, residents’ associations, initiatives to raise the profile of government, property owners, accessibility (Helsinki) or to address a commercial and other organisations are specific issue (Salzburg). The Vienna all participating in the project. and Nürnberg examples describe The key objectives are to enable more a long-standing commitment to disabled and older people to move accessibility which is now embedded in about independently and safely in public all the planning and delivery processes. areas, public buildings and on public The Stuttgart example focuses on a transport, and to make accessibility specific project looking at the purchase an integral part of daily planning and of accessible rolling stock for the decision making in the city. region’s suburban trains.

24 Section 2: Organisational and policy initiatives

The project started in January 2002 needs to be done to implement change. and will run for 10 years to the end of The city’s offices and institutions December 2011. The goal is that after implement the plans. the end of the project, accessibility will The Helsinki for all project coordinates continue as a fully integrated part of the work both in terms of actions taken and public transport network and the city’s of timetables. streets and pavements. There are regular meetings with The project has already solved many of disabled and older people. This the problems that were identified at the includes testing new products and start. These include development of: giving feedback on all ideas. The • A new type of dropped kerb which regional accessibility plans have been works both for wheelchair users and drawn up with full involvement of for visually impaired people disabled and older people. Walking • Guidance and warning surfaces tours with different user groups have for visually impaired people that been organised to study the issues at are robust enough to withstand the first hand. Finnish winter climate The city describes its approach to • New tactile maps for visually quality management as integrated impaired people with a routine and continuous cycle of monitoring and improvement in place. A clear process has been established to identify and deliver access Evaluation and results improvements. It starts with the city Qualitative evidence comes from of Helsinki’s accessibility plan, which feedback from disabled and older sets out the principles of accessibility people, from public transport drivers and sets objectives for practical work. and other staff, and from the residents Regional accessibility plans then focus of Helsinki in general. on the key issues and define what

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Customer surveys are held in different Further information areas and complaints are collected Contact: Pirjo Tujula, Project Manager, and monitored. Helsinki for All There is an annual seminar with users Email: [email protected] to review progress as well as regular Website: www.hel.fi/helsinkikaikille/ meetings with different user groups. The key performance indicators for the 2.2 Vienna, Austria success of the project are: Population 1.9 million • Number of additional passengers Comprehensive commitment • Number of accessible bus stops to accessibility • Number of accessible bus terminals The city of Vienna has a long standing commitment to accessibility. • Number of accessible metro terminals The key objective for Vienna is to • Number of accessible low-floor trams achieve a barrier-free city both for and buses residents and visitors. Accessibility • Number of raised tram stops. is an ongoing and integral part of the planning and delivery of public transport The success of the project is judged in Vienna. to be in the elimination of barriers and the integration of accessibility into The transport company Wiener Linien mainstream planning. (owned by the city) operates five bus routes. Initiatives to improve the Funding accessibility of Vienna’s transport The project is funded by the city of system started 20 years ago in 1989 Helsinki. Capital and start-up costs are when Wiener Linien first started to €100,000 and annual running costs are engage with disabled people in the city at the same level.

26 Section 2: Organisational and policy initiatives

and to measure their needs against included working with blind and partially what was currently available. sighted people to develop tactile The first step was an assessment of orientation and guidance systems. what needed to be done. That was Vienna has developed a systematic developed into an action plan which set model to identify, develop and short, medium and long-term targets. implement improvements to Simple low-cost, ‘quick fix’ measures accessibility and a philosophy of user- included the use of larger lettering centred design. This runs through and information panels to improve the all transport modes and is applied to readability of the visual guiding system. existing as well as new rolling stock, The medium-term strategy looked at vehicles and infrastructure. projects in which significant cost was Its commitment to user-centred involved, for example a programme design has also led to the development of retrofitting lifts in stations. The of a navigation system Pre-On-Post- long-term strategy focused on those Trip-Information-System (POPTIS), accessibility problems for which no which enables blind and visually solution was yet available. At that time a impaired people to move about key priority under this heading was the the system independently and with development of new, low-floor vehicles confidence, using mobile phones for all modes of transport. or MP3 players to get personalised To tackle the long-term issues, Wiener journey information. Linien project managers set up working There is also a continuing programme groups with disabled people to find of tours and visits to the underground solutions. These led to research system to help wheelchair users, blind and development projects funded by people and others to become familiar the Austrian Ministry of Transport, with it and confident in using it. Innovation and Technology. These

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All buses in the city have been On the other underground lines, with accessible since 2006 incorporating a the development of the new v-vehicle low-floor and automatic ramp. the gap between the platform and the The Ultra Low Floor (ULF) tramway vehicle edge is bridged by a powered vehicle was developed through a public ramp at the first and the last door. In private partnership between Wiener these areas of the train large open Linien and Siemens Austria. It is the areas are available for wheelchair users lowest, low-floor tramway in the world. to manoeuvre comfortably. It was constructed with a vehicle floor The earliest of the Underground lines 19.7 centimetres above the road level, in Vienna did not include access as which allows almost level boarding from a priority but by the 1980s when the the stops. The residual gap is covered second phase was being planned, there by a mechanical ramp. Today there are was stronger emphasis on user-centred 191 ultra low-floor trams in operation, design and a decision was taken to which is equivalent to 30 per cent of the fit lifts at every station. Since 2008, total number of tramway vehicles. all stations have been accessible by It is hoped to increase the level of means of lifts or ramps. accessibility to 60 per cent of trams A lift which is out of order is a significant by 2014 through a replacement obstacle. In all new stations there are at programme. The long-term objective least two exits and entrances equipped is a 100 per cent accessible tramway with lifts. Tactile push button devices network but there are economic with Braille inscriptions installed on a barriers to completing this project pillar beside the lift doors are easily in the short-term. found by blind users. There are also On the rolling stock for underground audible announcements in the lift cars. line U6 an additional ramp profile has There has been a major programme been fixed below the entrance doors to of redesigning and retrofitting tramway reduce the remaining gap. and bus stops with the aim of reducing

28 Section 2: Organisational and policy initiatives

the gap between vehicle and Wiener Linien assesses its approach to platform, and improving information quality management as systematic. and waiting facilities. Evaluation and results Real-time information is accessible There is strong feedback from disabled to blind and visually impaired users. people which testifies to the success of Countdown information, delivered by the accessibility measures and helps the computer aided operational control to identify any remaining problems. system, is part of the new Wiener Linien Passengers without mobility impairment real-time passenger information system. also benefit from step-free access and Information about service times and level boarding. The dwell time at stops whether or not a particular service is reduced which cuts journey times for will have a low-floor vehicle is available everyone. The result of these initiatives on the Wiener Linien website at is a win-win situation for operators, local www.wienerlinien.at. people and tourists. Information can also be passed direct There is no quantitative data on the to passengers’ mobile phones during number of disabled travellers. At the the journey. last national conference on accessibility it was stated that good accessibility Qando – a web-based, route-planner measures benefit at least 30 per cent of – is available on the homepage of the the population. Wiener Linien or at www.qando.at/site/ de/home.htm. This service delivers real- The success of the access time and timetable information within measures are monitored by disability the eastern region of Austria. It enables organisations under the terms of users to find the quickest route by public the city’s accessibility plan. There is transport and helps wheelchair users an assessment every year and the identify low-floor vehicles. plan is updated to take on board any

29 Mediate > Good practice guide

comments that have been made. The operator (StadtBus) and Zentrum current plan (required under Austrian für Generationen & Barrierefreiheit law) runs until 2016. (ZGB), the Centre for Generations A self-assessment tool is also being and Accessibility. developed to look at user needs The key objectives are to reduce the and to help identify areas needing number of accidents on public transport; further improvement. to make public transport easier for older Funding people to use; to keep older people There is no separate budget for as public transport users and to raise accessibility. Funding is integrated awareness of the needs of older people within Wiener Linien’s running as public transport users. costs budget. The motivation for the project was Further information both social – to keep older people Contact: Ing. Roland Krpata, U Bahn independently mobile – and economic Planning, Wiener Linien – to retain older passengers on public transport. Email: [email protected] The scheme started in September Website: www.wienerlinien.at 2004. It is ongoing and is growing year- on-year. Beyond 2011 there are further 2.3 Salzburg, Austria ideas being developed to enhance the Population 150,000 use and safety of public transport for Promoting public transport use older people. by older people The project was devised and developed This is an integrated project to as a 50:50 partnership between enable and encourage older people StadtBus and ZGB, which specialises to use public transport. It is run in older people’s issues. collaboratively by the local transport

30 Section 2: Organisational and policy initiatives

A starting point was a telephone hotline • Improvements to the vehicles for older people to complain about their • PR and marketing activities daily living problems. This showed that half the problems reported were about There is no written accessibility public transport. In addition, links were policy for Salzburg but there is one established with the local gerontology person in the public administration in clinic and with older people through charge of accessibility. coffee mornings etc. This project is described by the The scheme covers the entire trolley City as an integrated approach to bus network of the city of Salzburg and quality management with continuous comprises a wide range of activities and monitoring and feedback. initiatives aimed at encouraging older The project is a partner in AENEAS, people to use public transport in the an EU-funded project dedicated to city. These include: attaining energy efficient mobility in an • Mobility days ageing society. • Travel training for older passengers Evaluation and results Qualitative evidence comes from • Training for drivers, ticket inspectors feedback from participants in passenger and call centre agents and driver training schemes, and a shift • A safe mobility on the bus brochure of travel patterns among older people • Larger maps of the network, larger towards public transport. print timetables Customer surveys, complaints collection • Information about the for and questionnaires are all used to older people gather feedback. • Coffee parties in senior clubs and A user committee meets twice a year old people’s homes and an annual survey is carried out. There is also regular feedback from • Information stands

31 Mediate > Good practice guide

u Nürnberg: Metro familiarisation session for wheelchair users discussions and coffee mornings in receiving additional funding through older people’s clubs. that route. Key performance indicators include a The costs consist mainly of staff costs reduction in the number of accidents and expenses for printed information involving older passengers and the level such as the posters and folders. The of awareness about the project among cost cannot be precisely quantified older people. but is around €20,000 a year for the The most recent survey indicated that seniors’ project. This includes the 57 per cent of all older passengers training, the mobility day and several have heard of the project, compared coffee parties and information stands. with only 46 per cent in the previous Further information year, which was already high. From a Contact: Angelika Gasteiner, questionnaire at the mobility day, 90 Salzburg AG per cent of respondents indicated that Email: they intend to use public transport more [email protected] often. Almost everyone who attended a passenger training session found it very Websites: www.salzburg-ag.at/verkehr/ useful and felt safer after it. stadtbus/service-kontakt/obus-senioren/ The success criteria are simply meeting www.aeneas-project.eu/?page=salzburg and exceeding the objectives set. 2.4 Nürnberg, Germany Funding The cost of the project is met Population just under 500,000 by the public transport company in the city StadtBus and the Non Governmental Long term commitment Organisations (NGO). Over the past 18 to accessibility months Salzburg has been a partner Nürnberg was the first city in Germany in the EU project AENEAS and it is to commit to making its public transport

32 Section 2: Organisational and policy initiatives

accessible. Verkehrs-Aktiengesellschaft Another milestone was the (VAG) operates the buses, trams and appointment, in 1980, of an Accessibility underground trains in the cities of Commissioner who works within the Nürnberg, Fürth, Erlangen and vicinity. Planning Department of VAG and The company is wholly owned by the whose job is to liaise with disability city of Nürnberg. organisations on all improvements The key objective of this long running and developments. A study in 1986 programme has been to create a (supported by the Federal Transport barrier-free transport system for the city. Ministry) compared the costs of a The city’s philosophy is ‘mobility for all’ barrier-free public transport system and engagement with organisations with providing a separate door-to-door of disabled people has also been transport service for disabled people. a key principle for many decades. The cost estimates for the two were Accessibility is no longer regarded as a quite close but a political decision was separate or special initiative. made to pursue the barrier-free route. The same study had also surveyed The extensive programme of work all the different disability groups dates back to 1972 when the first within the city in order to have a clear approach was made to VAG by local understanding of their needs. organisations of disabled people complaining about lack of accessibility All existing metro stations have been to the city’s transport system. That upgraded with lifts to make them initial contact led to continuing dialogue accessible and all new stations are and in 1978 the authority made a built to be fully accessible. All buses commitment to improve access to all are low-floor with kneeling function and underground stations by fitting lifts. equipped with ramps. Trams are now This commitment from the city won all low-floor and equipped with portable political support in the elections ramps. All tram-islands are raised up that year. to 25cm.

33 Mediate > Good practice guide

t Nürnberg: Metro level access boarding

All metro platforms and tram islands, transport. That law now includes a as well as newer bus stops, have tactile requirement for disabled people to guide strips. These strips have been be involved in, and to agree on, new introduced to provide safe passage rolling stock and vehicle designs. for blind people from tram stops in the Federal funding is dependent upon this centre of the street to the pavement. agreement and disability organisations During the planning process of have the right to take authorities and automating Metro lines 2 and 3 there operators to court if they fail to comply. were extensive discussions about how Future access improvements now best to ensure the safety of disabled under development include using passengers on the driverless trains Bluetooth technology to give individuals running on the new metro lines. personalised route and journey planning Consultation has included use of information through mobile phones. mock-ups of the new rolling stock to The city believes that it enable disabled people to comment demonstrates an integrated approach at first hand. to quality management. There is also an annual programme Evaluation and results of training on disability issues for There is close and regular contact all drivers and regular sessions between VAG and local disabled of familiarisation for wheelchair people so that feedback both on users and visually impaired or other new improvements and on everyday disabled people. This helps them build accessibility of the system is confidence and understanding to use regularly received. the system. Annual passenger surveys record a The initiatives in Nürnberg were started growing number of both disabled and well in advance of the German federal older passengers. VAG estimates that law requiring accessibility to all public

34 Section 2: Organisational and policy initiatives

about 25 per cent of all its passengers 2.5 Stuttgart, Germany have some mobility impairment. There are about 50 wheelchair users Population of Greater Stuttgart who travel on the metro on a daily region 2.6 million basis as well as a large number of Procurement process for blind and partially sighted people. accessible rolling stock The organisation’s commitment to The Verband Region Stuttgart (VRS), accessibility is seen as commercial as the transport authority for the region of well as social. Stuttgart has established a procurement procedure for transport supply in The success of the commitment suburban rail for 2013 to 2028. As to accessibility is the continuing part of the procurement procedure the close relationship between VAG and replacement of 83 vehicles with new disability organisations, and the large rolling stock was agreed. and growing number of disabled and older people using public transport The new vehicle type (ET 430) will in the city. be the first suburban rail vehicle in Germany to comply fully with the Funding European Commission Technical The costs of accessibility are Standard for Interoperability on integral to VAG’s budgets and are not Passengers with Reduced Mobility (TSI recorded separately. PRM). The prototype is in the process Further information of final design and approval. Contact: Wolfgang Legath, Managing Choosing between the alternatives of Director, BSN (Betriebsgesellschaft extending the use of the existing fleet Schienenverkehr Nürnberg mbH) (with some retrofitting) to save on costs Email: [email protected]

35 Mediate > Good practice guide

and a new vehicle type to improve the • Layout, and design of devices and service, VRS decided to opt for renewal interior equipment according to needs of the fleet with a new vehicle type. The of users with special requirements (eg requirements of users were included in specification of tactile properties of door the specifications for the new vehicles. opening buttons, visual contrast etc) The key objective has been to integrate The project is run by the public the needs of disabled and older users transport provider Deutsche Bahn. into the mainstream public transport The new vehicle type will run on service for the region. approximately 70 per cent of the Features with particular relevance to the suburban rail network. needs of users with disabilities include: The procurement process in terms of • Retractable ramps to improve level the contract with the transport provider access from platform to vehicle was closed in 2009. The new vehicle fleet will be running from 2013. • Priority seats with additional space The legal basis for the project was • Reserved wheelchair spaces national law: BGG (Behinderten- • Emergency call Gleichstellungsgesetz) – Equal Treatment for the Disabled Act; and • Audio and visual trip information to European: TSI PRM 2008/164/EG. complement each other In addition to the legal requirements • Audio and visual warning signals to (mostly applicable to new infrastructure complement each other with respect and equipment) there is also a to user needs strong commitment from the regional • Real-time, on-trip information on parliament to remove existing access connecting trips barriers in public transport.

36 Section 2: Staff training

The specification of the new vehicle Further information was a condition set during the Contact: Dr Annette Albers, tendering process. Stuttgart Region Several conferences were held at the Email: [email protected] start of the procurement procedure to Website: www.region-stuttgart.org understand user needs and to develop a catalogue of requirements. 3. Staff training The project is assessed by the city as Even with all the advances in laws, representing an integrated approach to policies and technical solutions to quality management. make transport more accessible, staff Evaluation and results availability and attitude remains the The vehicle is still in the process of final most critical factor in determining the development and the only feedback ability and willingness of many disabled to date is from presentations to end and older people to travel. user groups (such as organisations Staff working in the transport field need representing blind people). to be trained to know how to support User satisfaction is monitored on an disabled and older passengers, and ongoing basis. understand why it is important that they The project will be measured by the do so correctly and consistently. successful delivery of accessible rolling Training needs to be delivered – and stock and by user satisfaction feedback renewed – for all front line staff who are and passenger numbers. the passenger’s link with the transport Funding system. But training is also important The project costs are included in the throughout the management structure of total costs per vehicle km as concluded an organisation so that there is a culture with the operator. of understanding and awareness.

37 Mediate > Good practice guide

u Luxembourg: A disability awareness training session for railway staff

The nature of training and how it is Göteborg (7.3), Helsingborg (8.4) and delivered are also key factors. First it Nürnberg (2.4). is very important that disabled people themselves are engaged in delivering 3.1 Transdev, France training. It is also vital that the training is Disability awareness training for comprehensive and that it is practically drivers and managers focused as well as dealing with attitude The scheme is to deliver training and perception. for drivers and managers across all The first example in this guide comes Transdev companies, but initially those from one of Europe’s largest transport in France (more than 400 contracts), on operators – Transdev – which has understanding disability and disabled adopted a group wide policy on training people’s needs. in accessibility issues across all of its The management-level training has companies and subsidiaries. Although been in operation since 2008. Transdev is a major enterprise, the approach it has taken is one that The driver-level training programme would work equally well in any type of has been established in conjunction operation, large or small. The key is with the four key disability a thorough, consistent and universal organisations in France representing commitment to training. mobility, vision, hearing and cognitive impairments. Representatives of these The second example is from organisations are consulted Luxembourg where organisations of by Transdev internal trainers. disabled people have worked with the railway company to provide training to The key objective is to ensure that improve levels of service for disabled disabled people are accommodated travellers. There are also good on Transdev bus services and are examples of staff training contained treated with sensitivity and dignity. in projects described under other The motivation for the project was sections of this guide. See, for example, to provide a better service to

38 Section 2: Staff training

customers and a more coherent By January 2010, 20 managers had understanding of accessibility issues been trained. across management. Measures of success are The scheme is at an early stage of improvements in behaviour of staff introduction but has been integrated and increased satisfaction. on a permanent basis into Transdev’s Funding training programme. The capital/start-up cost of the The organisation’s commitment to training was €1,000. Ongoing costs accessibility dates back more than 10 are not separately identified as the years but has been developed in light programme is integrated into overall of national and European legislation on training provision. accessibility. Transdev developed an Further information accessibility strategy in 2008. Contact: Pierre Moise, The scheme was developed as part of Accessibility, Product and Services Transdev’s accessibility strategy, which Manager, Transdev helps coordinate policy across all of its E-mail: [email protected] subsidiaries and propose a common strategy. Its starting point was the legal 3.2 Luxembourg requirements in a number of Transdev’s key operating areas including France Training for railway staff and the UK. This example features accessibility training for the staff of the Luxembourg This has been assessed by Railway Company (CFL). The training Transdev as an integrated approach comprises a one-day session including to quality management. theoretical information and practical Evaluation and results exercises to give staff experience of Both quantitative and qualitative the real-life situations faced by people measures are being developed but are with reduced mobility and people with not yet in place. cognitive and sensory disabilities.

39 Mediate > Good practice guide

t Luxembourg: A disability awareness training session for railway staff

The key objective of the training is on different disabilities including to increase the number of disabled mobility, cognitive, hearing and visual people able to use public transport impairment. The trainers include people by improving the reception that they with disabilities. get from staff, the quality of the The training currently covers the rail journey they make and their transfer network but there is a project to establish between modes. the same training for bus drivers. The training, which started in 2005, is The training also benefits older now an ongoing scheme. The initiative people and foreign visitors as it came from the disability movement includes exercises which teach staff to and was introduced to improve the communicate without speaking, which level of service offered by the railway can be helpful in many situations. company to disabled people, both at the station and on-board the train. There The project has been self assessed as had previously been a high-level of representing a systematic approach to complaints from disabled travellers. quality management The initiative started with an awareness Evaluation and results phase: working with the rail company Since the training was put in place on why the training was needed. Then there have been fewer complaints the consolidation phase consisted of and greater satisfaction levels among building up relations with a key contact disabled travellers. in the rail company. The ongoing There are regular expert meetings implementation phase is now officially (three or four a year) with all the integrated into routine staff training and associations promoting the rights takes place three or four times a year. of disabled people and the training The training is run by five disability sessions are regularly monitored. associations, all representing the The evaluation forms used during the rights of disabled people and focusing training indicate very high levels of

40 Section 2: Travel training for passengers

satisfaction from the staff receiving Further information training. Trainees comment in particular Contact: Fabienne Feller. Accessibility that they feel that they have gained a coordinator, Info-handicap much better understanding of disability Email: [email protected] issues. As a result of better trained staff, the image of the CFL has improved 4. Travel training among disabled people. for passengers The training has helped raise general awareness and led to coverage in Many disabled people lack the newspapers and online. confidence to use public transport even when it has become accessible. Initially many disabled people were Others may not even be aware that the afraid to use public transport. Success opportunity is now open to them. will therefore be measured by the increase in the number of disabled For those who have been disabled for a people able to, and willing to, travel long period, public transport may never and when the transport operator is well before have been an option. People known for excellence in this field. may well have been dependent on specialist door-to-door services simply Funding for lack of an alternative. The cost of each training session is about €750 and the total annual operating cost It takes considerable determination to is between €3,000 and €3,750. overcome concerns about the reliability and accessibility of a newly accessible The rail company pays for the training, public transport service or to move away which involves three of their own from the protected environment of a instructors and between six and eight specialist door-to-door service. These people representing the different user concerns are as real for wheelchair users groups. Each course is one-day for the and blind people, for example, as they training session plus one to three days are for people with learning disabilities. to prepare it.

41 Mediate > Good practice guide

u London: A wheelchair user takes the Tube with a travel mentor

However good a door-to-door service and the kind of service they would is it can never provide the flexibility and like to receive. freedom of public transport, and its The final example comes from costs are generally significantly greater. Enschede in the Netherlands. Here For all these reasons, confidence is the travel ambassadors have been key to enabling more disabled people to introduced to work with older and use public transport. disabled people and to help them learn, The four good practice examples in this or re-learn, how to use public transport. section are very different from each Schemes like these not only make a other. The first one comes from London major difference to the lives of many where the travel mentoring service has disabled people, they can also provide made a significant difference to the lives substantial cost savings by reducing of thousands of disabled Londoners. dependence on door-to-door transport The second example is from Paris . and on other support services. Here the long established Compagnons However, as the Enschede example du Voyage service provides escorts to illustrates, greater confidence to travel enable disabled people of any age (with may also result in more journeys a permanent or temporary disability) to made overall. help them use public transport either on a regular and continuing basis or until Other good examples of travel or they have confidence to manage alone. training are included in other sections of this guide. See Vienna (2.2) and The third example comes from Salzburg (2.3). Stuttgart in Germany where drivers of the region’s public transport company 4.1 London, UK (buses and trams) provide guidance and training to disabled people Population 7.56 million unfamiliar with public transport. They Mentoring service also learn from disabled passengers This example highlights TfL’s travel what changes they would like to see mentoring service, which provides

42 Section 2: Travel training for passengers

support to disabled Londoners who of the growing availability of accessible want to use public transport but lack the public transport and step-free access experience or confidence to do so. in London. The key objective of the service is The service also operates in special for more disabled people to become needs schools to help children and independent travellers. This enables young disabled people understand how them to broaden their travel and to use public transport in the city. personal horizons and to reduce their The service is established on a dependence on door-to-door services. permanent basis and has been running This free service helps individuals to since 2005. The expectation is that over plan accessible routes and journeys, the next five years it will gradually re- and provides a mentor to travel with focus from providing mentoring direct them until they have the confidence to individuals to providing a ‘train the to make the journey independently. trainer’ service to local groups and There is a limit of 10 accompanied organisations which will take on the role. journeys, but most people need far TfL’s accessibility policy is set out fewer. The service is available to in its Disability Equality Scheme (a people with any kind of physical, requirement under UK law). sensory or cognitive impairment. Mentors work in cooperation with As well as providing the service direct the modal designers (bus, tram, with their own trained mentors, TfL also Underground, , provides training for mentors from other London River Services) to evaluate organisations (for example clubs or new accessibility initiatives and provide groups working with disabled people). feedback from mentee experience. The mentoring service was devised The service is assessed by TfL as a means to help people who were as an integrated approach to dependent on door-to-door transport quality management. – or not travelling at all – to make use

43 Mediate > Good practice guide

Evaluation and results Criteria for evaluating the success of There is very positive feedback from the ‘train the trainer’ approach are now disabled people who have used the being adopted. mentoring service. Comments from Funding users have included: The service is funded as an integral ‘Travel mentoring has given me the part of TfL’s budget for door-to-door confidence to travel independently on transport services. the Underground and taught me not to Further information be frightened to ask for help.’ Contact: Paul Carter, Travel Advice ‘Travel mentoring has given me freedom and Membership Manager, London and options I didn’t know I had. It has Dial-a-Ride greatly improved the quality of my life.’ Email: [email protected] An evaluation of the scheme, Website: www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround conducted by an independent research then click on assisted travel, then travel company for TfL, was published in mentoring scheme 2007 and found that 68 per cent of respondents felt that the service had 4.2 Paris/Ile de France, given them real independence. France The key performance indicator of Population 2 million (within the number of assisted trips has the périphérique) significantly exceeded its target. TfL’s own mentors are currently Supported travel service providing more than 2,000 assisted Les Compagnons de Voyage is an trips a year with approximately 5,000 association set up jointly by the RATP assisted journeys per annum being (the Paris/Ile-de-France transport provided by mentors from other authority) and the SNCF (French organisations who have been Railways) to provide assistance to trained as part of the service. anyone with a permanent or temporary

44 Section 2: Travel training for passengers

difficulty in using public transport The service was set up in recognition in the Paris region or anywhere in of the problems that many people France. The service provides a trained had using public transport. The escort to travel with the disabled fundamental concept was to reduce person to help them find their way peoples’ dependence on costly, around the city or to gain confidence bespoke services and to provide them in using public transport, so that they with the support necessary to use can travel independently. A door-to- public transport. The support might door service is also provided and the be on a temporary basis, while the service is available for all kinds of trips disabled person gains confidence including school journeys, medical to travel alone, or it may be on a appointments and leisure travel. The continuing basis depending on need. service is available 24-hours-a-day, There are more than 100 trained seven days a week. escorts with experience and The key objective is to give everyone understanding of a wide range of the right to mobility by whatever means disabilities. They are, for example, is appropriate for their needs. The trained in sign language, guiding service aims to reduce social isolation techniques for blind people and in among older people and to help them working with people with dementia. to retain their independence, as well as Clients of the service comprise to enable younger disabled people to people who have physical sensory learn how to travel independently. They or cognitive impairments, including also aim to reduce the dependence of “vulnerable “older people. Both adults disabled people on special services. and children use the service. There The scheme was established in 1993 is an average of 150 accompanied and since then it has accompanied journeys every day in the city of Paris more than one million journeys. It is a and its suburbs. permanent service.

45 Mediate > Good practice guide

The scheme has been self assessed as Funding representing a systematic approach to The costs are covered by a charge quality management. levied on users of the service. Currently Evaluation and results the charge is €27 per hour on weekdays There is strong anecdotal feedback and a 50 per cent supplement at about the value of the service to its weekends. There is a lower charge for users. A typical comment from an older people, currently €15 between 88-year-old user was: ‘On my own I 10.00 and 15.00 with a supplement for can’t go far. I am frightened. Here I journeys before 10.00 or at weekends. know that I have a helping hand.’ Fifty per cent of the costs of the trip are tax deductible for everyone. A survey was carried out in 2009 of a cross section of people eligible to use Further information the service both as individuals and Contact: Chantal Couprie, through care homes. Fifty-one per cent Les Compagnons du Voyage of respondents had already used some Email: [email protected] kind of personal support services of Website: www.compagnons.com which four per cent were for journeys. Fifty-seven per cent were not aware 4.3 Stuttgart, Germany of the existence of the service; 48 per cent said that they were interested in Population 700,000 the service either for themselves or for Training and someone they cared for. familiarisation sessions Success is measured by the number of This example highlights passenger people using the service, the feedback training for people with mobility or visual from those users and by the success in impairments. The training is provided by enabling people to travel independently Stuttgarter Straßenbahn AG (SSB), the after training. public transport provider in the region.

46 Section 2: Travel training for passengers

Half-day sessions are run on a regular region. It helps disabled people who basis four times a year. have not used public transport before The key objective is to help disabled to understand the constraints as well as people using public transport. The the benefits of public transport. company also has a goal of ‘barrier- There is a user committee which free SSB’. oversees and advises on the content The initiative was started as a result of the training. SBB say that they have of requests from organisations adopted a systematic approach to representing people with disabilities. quality management. The project was planned in-house Evaluation and results by SSB. The training method chosen Participants appreciate the training. They was as a result of the experiences of also advise SSB and its drivers how to disabled passengers and feedback from help improve public transport use and disabled people’s unions. The scheme gain a mutual understanding between has run on a permanent basis since the operators and disabled passengers. 2002. One person in the organisation The suggestions made to SSB is assigned to deal with specific needs are implemented in annual driver and requests of disabled people. training courses. Experienced drivers from SSB explain There is no data available on increases the details of layout and operation of in the number of disabled passengers both buses and light rail vehicles to using public transport as a result of help people build up confidence and the training but feedback is positive. experience using them as part of their More training seminars are planned in daily lives. response to demand. The training is available to disabled The main criterion of success is people across the whole Stuttgart positive feedback from participants

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and organisations representing people Connexxion and Enschede town with disabilities. council introduced route 7. Bus route 7 Funding provides a direct connection between Annual operating costs for the the residential homes of older people training are around €3,000. The and several social services. The route funding is an integral part of SBB’s was accessible (both buses and bus running costs budget. stops) but was hardly used. In parallel, the authority was providing a costly on- Further information demand special transport service. Contact: Thomas Dietz or Guntram Schäfer, SSB The initiative for the pilot came from a recognition that some specific action Email: [email protected] needed to be taken to change people’s Email: travel patterns and to give disabled [email protected] people the confidence to use public transport wherever possible. Website: www.ssb-ag.de/22-0- Barrierefreies-Fahren.html The town council, the regional authority, the bus operator and a consumer group 4.4 Enschede, worked together to devise and deliver The Netherlands a pilot project to promote the use of the new bus route 7 in the town. People Population 155,000 who qualified for the door-to-door Travel ambassadors service Regiotaxi were given free travel This example examines an initiative to on the bus. encourage disabled users of the local on- Public transport “ambassadors” were demand bespoke service to start using brought onto the buses to explain how an accessible mainstream bus route. they work and to help when necessary. At the end of 2005 the Dutch region These ambassadors also visited the of Twente, the local transport operator target group in retirement homes, for

48 Section 2: Travel training for passengers

example. Both public transport and the summer of 2007 the figure rose to an door-to-door service were explained. average of 4,000 per month (2,000 of As a result, there has been a significant whom were also users of the special increase in the number of disabled service). In particular there was a very people using the service. Disabled significant increase in the number people have also made suggestions of wheelchair users. The number of for improvements to the service, which passengers on Regiotaxi didn’t change. have been taken up. These include Success of the scheme has been moving one of the bus stops to a more measured by the increased number suitable location and improving the of disabled people using mainstream display of information at stops. public transport. After two years the employment of Funding the ambassadors was taken over The Ambassadors project was funded from the region by Connexxion the by the Twente region initially. Their transport operator. wages were paid as a work-experience This scheme could be described as an project within the city of Enschede. ad hoc approach to quality management. The Region’s contribution to Enschede was about € 30.000 a year. After Evaluation and results two years Connexxion (the public A survey of 300 users (eligible for transport company) took over the special transport service) gave responsibility for their employment very positive feedback about the bus and they are still working. service and in particular the comfort of the vehicle and the ease of getting on Further information and off. Contact: Marco Berloth, Senior advisor for mobility at Region Twente Until 2007, route 7 had an average of 400 to 500 passengers a month. In the Email: [email protected]

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5. Passenger feedback 5.1 Prague, and monitoring systems Engagement with disabled and older Population 1.2 million people is a fundamental requirement Working group on accessible and for good design and planning. Too open Prague often consultation only takes place as The example given is of a working an afterthought or when it is too late group on ‘Accessible and Open Prague’ to influence the way that systems are set up by Prague City Hall. The remit designed or run. This means that either of the working group covers the the legacy of inaccessible transport is whole city of Prague and surrounding perpetuated or that expensive and often neighbourhoods and involves all inadequate retrofitting has to take place public transport. Disabled and older people have a The key objective has been to coordinate continuing role to play in monitoring activities to improve accessibility to how well the system is running and to public transport in the city. report on and discuss any problems or shortcomings. The scheme started on 1 January 2009 and is ongoing. The hope is that The good practice example given is there will be an ongoing commitment to from Prague, in the Czech Republic . fund accessibility improvements in the Other examples given in this guide city and that operators will continue to under different headings also include upgrade vehicles and infrastructure with useful information of this topic. advice from the working group. See Stockholm (8.2), Helsingborg The working group was set up in (8.4),Helsinki (2.1) and Vienna (2.2). response to a petition from over

50 Section 2: Passenger feedback and monitoring systems

10,000 people from public and young children. The group meets four not-for-profit organisations. times a year. They are also involved in Membership of the working group monitoring progress against the agenda comprises people with disabilities, that they have set. older people, operators and other This initiative was a one off response stakeholders. Members are chosen to a request from the people of by the Leader of Prague city council Prague. It is described by the city as and the chair of the working group can an isolated approach, in other words recommend new members to them. a project specifically intended to meet The working group gives impetus the needs of disabled and older people to a range of initiatives such as the but not yet embedded as part of refurbishment of tram stops and the overall policy. installation of lifts into Evaluation and results stations (by 2015 five new lifts will have The scheme is regarded as very been installed). successful because end users can Its primary role is to coordinate the communicate through the working activities of all the parties involved in group with Prague City Hall and initiate making improvements: local authorities, improvements on particular points. contractors, operators etc. The working group then brings all the relevant parties together to ensure that In addition to the working group there the improvement is delivered. is a user group which sets the agenda for the working group and identifies The key performance indicator is priorities. This user group comprises the increase in the number of public people with physical and sensory transport stops and stations accessible disabilities, older people and parents of to people with disabilities.

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u London: Next stop information display

The success is measured simply on the The approach taken by Sofia in level of improvements to accessibility in shows that even in situations the city of Prague. where much of a public transport Funding network remains inaccessible, clear The working group is funded by Prague and accurate information can help City Hall. Costs include adapting an passengers to make informed choices office for the use of the group and the about their own mobility. Chair’s salary. Figures are not available. These two, very different, examples Further information illustrate the same vital requirement Contact: Michal Prager, Chairman of for good quality information to enable the Working Group for Accessible and disabled and older people to plan and Open Prague make journeys with confidence. Email: [email protected] Examples included in this guide under other headings also include 6. Accessible details on good information and communication systems. The examples information and of Berlin (1.1) and Vienna (2.2) are of communication systems particular interest. Information to enable disabled and older people to access public transport 6.1 London, UK and to use it with confidence is Population 7.56 million fundamentally important. Real time on-bus audio and The iBus project, running on visual information London’s 8,000 accessible buses, has iBus is an Automatic Vehicle Location introduced audio and visual on-bus (AVL), radio and an on-bus passenger announcements as a by-product of information display and announcement investment in vehicle location and system. It is fitted to all 8,000 London radio technology. buses and to all bus stops across the

52 Section 2: Accessible information and communication systems

network. iBus provides ‘next stop’ will provide the capability to and ‘destination’ visual displays and give targeted disruption information audio announcements on the bus for example. to keep passengers informed. Real-time information on buses is It benefits all passengers but is not currently a legal requirement at a particularly useful for those who are national level in the UK but has been unfamiliar with the network or people adopted as a London-wide requirement with a visual or hearing impairment, by TfL. or a learning disability. The initial motivation for the iBus iBus is also the information source project was the operational need for real-time bus arrival predictions to replace vehicle location and at bus stops provided by the radio equipment. The introduction Countdown system. of new equipment and systems The key objective of iBus is to improve meant that real-time passenger service delivery. This is done by information became an affordable providing enhanced control facilities to add-on. Therefore, the business case those who manage the network and by formed part of a larger rationale for providing on-bus, real-time information an improvement to London Buses to all passengers. technology infrastructure. It may The first bus was equipped in 2007 not have been possible to make a and the roll out to all 8,000 buses was business case for real-time information completed in early 2009. iBus is now a in isolation. standard part of contract requirements iBus is self-assessed as an for all London bus operators and example of an integrated approach to vehicles, and there is an ongoing quality management. commitment to the system. Evaluation and results Future iBus developments are likely to Structured research was carried out include service enhancements which before, during and after implementation.

53 Mediate > Good practice guide

t London: Information display u Sofia: Real-time information display at a public transport stop

This included surveys of the general There is no quantified data on increased population and targeted research with passenger numbers attributable to iBus specific disability groups including those but there is anecdotal evidence from representing people with visual and organisations representing blind people, hearing impairments. The response has for example, to suggest that numbers been very positive, particularly from have risen. disabled people. In addition to the reliability and Driver attitude was also included in the availability of the system, success surveys. Drivers appreciate the system is also measured in terms of rising for a number of reasons, one of which is passenger approval ratings. that it relieves them of the obligation to Funding remember to tell passengers where to The capital cost of the iBus project was get off the bus, which can be difficult on €74m. The total costs over a ten-year a busy route. period (including the capital) are €134m. As a result of engagement with The capital costs came from TfL’s passengers and disability organisations Business Plan Investment Programme. during the testing phase, changes were The running costs are integral to the made to the format of the information running costs budget for London Buses. announcements. These changes included a reduction and simplification Further information of the words used in announcing stops Contact: Simon Reed, iBus and destinations. Project Director The iBus contract contains a number Email: [email protected] of key performance indicators relating Website: www.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/ to availability and performance. TfL then click on projects and schemes, measures passenger satisfaction then iBus separately and this has continued to rise following the installation of iBus.

54 Section 2: Accessible information and communication systems

6.2 Sofia, Bulgaria up by the Union of Blind People, which also stated the places and transport Population 1.3 million stops likely to be most frequently used Audio announcements at public by blind people. The prototypes were transport stops tested by blind people before the This example is about the scheme was fully implemented. implementation of an audio Electronic boards giving real-time visual announcement system at public information about vehicle movements transport stops. had already been installed at city centre The key objective of the project was to stops. This project has added audio improve the public transport service for announcement modules to make the blind people. There was no quantitative real-time information available to blind data available on levels of usage before and partially sighted people. the scheme was introduced. Although it has been running since The scheme was not driven by legal or 2008, this is still regarded as a pilot political impetus. It was an initiative from project because there are only a limited the Sofia Urban Mobility Centre (part of number of the electronic boards with the public transport authority) and the audio information. It took between six Sofia Regional Department of the Union and 12 months to get this far in the of Blind People in Bulgaria. project but the plan is to extend the The planning methodology used scope over the coming years. to develop the project started with This methodology has been assessed an examination of the problem and by the authority as a systematic a discussion of the issues with approach to quality management. representatives of the Union of Blind Sofia Urban Mobility Centre is now People in Bulgaria. The specification undertaking another initiative of this kind for the electronic boards was drawn

55 Mediate > Good practice guide

t Sofia: Real-time information display at a public transport stop u Catalonia: Wheelchair access to interurban bus

– audio stop announcements in The measure of success is simply the all vehicles on Sofia Public Transport. feedback from blind people in Sofia To date, stop announcements are only Funding in vehicles and on some The scheme is funded directly through tram lines. the authority’s own budget without any The project is planned in collaboration additional funding. The cost of adding with the Department of the Union of the audio facility to existing electronic Blind People in Bulgaria. boards is €125 per stop. To date 17 Sofia Mobility Centre has undertaken boards have been equipped. the necessary research for Further information implementation, including cost analysis Contact: Desislava Hristova, Sofia and has presented its findings to Sofia Urban Mobility Centre Municipality. The project will start after Email: [email protected] Sofia Municipality’s approval. Evaluation and results 7. Level access through The project was developed and the transport system implemented in partnership between This category examines initiatives which the Sofia Urban Mobility Centre and remove the barriers that make it difficult the Sofia Regional Department of the or impossible for disabled and older Union of Blind People in Bulgaria. people to travel around a city using There has been a great deal of public transport. feedback from representatives of the Union of Blind People. One It also includes access to and from modification that has been made as transport systems through the a result of feedback is to increase the pedestrian environment. Problems volume level of the announcements. are often created by the legacy of old

56 Section 2: Level access through the transport system

inaccessible transport infrastructure by the Government of Catalonia, and vehicles or rolling stock in many Transport Directorate to deliver access European cities. improvements to public transport in There are five very different examples the region. The scheme includes the in this section of how these problems Barcelona underground network as have been tackled. well as the Catalonia suburban train network (FGC) and the Catalonia The region of Catalonia in has interurban bus network (DGTT). a major ongoing initiative to improve access to public transport across The key objective is to achieve a the region. On a smaller scale so to concept of ‘design for all’ in all new has the city of Burgos, also in Spain. infrastructure and rolling stock, to Göteborg in Sweden takes a different adapt the existing public transport approach and uses a flexible door- network and, through that approach, to-door transport service to link with to increase the number of disabled accessible parts of the mainstream and older people able to use public transport network. In Rogaland, transport. It is important to have an Norway, (a public transport integrated vision of the mobility chain company operating in ) has and the interaction between all the introduced accessible boats. Finally, elements: public space, stops, stations, in the Netherlands there is a national modal interchange, rolling stock, policy goal to achieve full information and signposting. bus accessibility. The scheme covers both new and existing rolling stock and stations, 7.1 Catalonia, Spain and includes improvements and Population 7.4 million upgrades to meet the needs of a wide range of people with disabilities, and Design for all approach other passengers. This is an ongoing commitment

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t Catalonia: Lift at suburban station u Burgos: Accessible bus with boarding ramp

This is a permanent, ongoing scheme Evaluation and results which started in the late 1980s and will There are no surveys done specifically continue until the goal of 100 per cent on accessibility but the annual public accessibility has been achieved. transport satisfaction survey includes The accessibility policy of Catalonia’s some questions on accessibility. Transport Directorate is to adapt In addition, feedback on the whole public transport network accessibility issues comes direct (underground, train and interurban from disabled people’s associations bus) including vehicles, infrastructure, on a regular basis. information, ticketing etc and the There are two accessibility working Transport Directorate is responsible for groups within the Transport achieving this. Directorate. One relates to trains The planning methodology used is to and underground, the other to incorporate all access features in the buses. These working groups include project and the scope of works carried all the accessibility stakeholders out. For the rail and underground system (administration, operators, disabled this includes lifts, , ramps, people’s associations etc). All and tactile paths for blind people, the accessibility subjects are discussed gap between train and platform, and in these working groups including information etc. For inter-urban buses, new projects, results and problems. subsidies are given to operators to invest This means that there is very good in new accessible vehicles and in parallel feedback at all times. the Transport Directorate is designing a The performance indicators used new accessible bus shelter. are the percentage of trains, buses This is described by the city and stations etc that are adapted. as an integrated approach to Currently the position on quality management. accessibility is:

58 Section 2: Level access through the transport system

• , which has seven Further information lines, is 76 per cent adapted Catalonia Contact: Manel Villalante, suburban train network (FGC), which Transport General Director, has two lines is 95 per cent adapted Government of Catalonia • Catalonia interurban buses (DGTT): Email: [email protected] there are 817 vehicles adapted out of Email: [email protected] a fleet of 1,082 (75 per cent) No data is gathered specifically on 7.2 Burgos, Spain the increased number of disabled Population 180,000 people using the system or on reduced dependency on special transport Universal accessibility systems, or other support networks. The project is to develop a public transport system that is 100 per The success of the scheme is cent accessible, particularly for measured by the satisfaction of disabled older people and people with people using it and evidence that more reduced mobility. disabled and older people are using public transport. The key objectives of the scheme are to provide universal accessibility, Funding comfort and safety for users, to inform The Government of Catalonia has so far passengers about the facilities and invested €516m to adapt the Metro and to make them aware that it is a more the Catalonia train network. It has also sustainable form of transport. invested €38.8m to adapt the interurban bus network. It is run by the City of Burgos with input from the Strategic City Plan Funding comes from the regional (an association belonging to the city, Government’s annual budget which promotes public transport) and is part of an ongoing and the Castilla and Leon Institute of budget commitment.

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t Burgos: Accessible bus at a city bus stop u Göteborg: A Flexlinjen vehicle

Technology, which is responsible for stop accessibility was the final step evaluation and technical aspects. in implementation because it also The project covers the whole city and involved the civil engineering and includes all buses, which are now infrastructure departments. accessible (including ramp access, Organisations of disabled and older audio and visual information), and 80 people were engaged in the project per cent of the bus stops, which provide from the very beginning of the process real-time information. New bus lines through meetings and consultation. were developed, and timetables and This methodology has been assessed frequencies were increased to make by the authority as an ad hoc approach public transport a more attractive option. to quality management. There was no legal requirement Evaluation and results to introduce this scheme. It was The Spanish organisation of Blind an initiative from the city council and Impaired People has named the in response to requests from local public transport system in Burgos associations of disabled people. as one of the best in Spain in terms The scheme has been running for 18 of accessibility. Ninety per cent of months. The intention is to develop citizens report that they are happy further bus lines and to improve the with the improvements that have been infrastructure for intermodal interchange. introduced (ramps, audible and visual The main improvements that have information, real-time information, driver been implemented were proposed by training etc). Eight per cent of people the mobility group which advises the had no opinion (mainly because they do city council. not use public transport) and two per cent wanted further improvements. The council started by drawing up a plan of action which was then The indicators have included the implemented over 18 months. Bus number of additional passengers and

60 Section 2: Level access through the transport system

the results of surveys and meetings co-financed by the City and the with stakeholders. There has been an European Commission through the increase of between two and three per CIVITAS initiative. Some funding has cent in the number of disabled people also come from ONCE. using public transport. The figure Further information would have been higher if it had not Contact: José María Diez, Strategic coincided with an offer from ONCE (the Planning, City of Burgos Spanish Blind People’s Organisation) at the same time to buy cars for Email: [email protected] disabled people. 7.3 Göteborg, Sweden The special door-to-door service run by the Red Cross is now only carrying Population 500,000 20 people per day. Flexible system linking into One change that has been made as a public transport result of the indicators and feedback The scheme described is Flexlinjen, a has been more training for bus drivers. flexible, on-demand transport service The main complaints were about the which runs throughout Göteborg and lack of disability awareness among the links with accessible public transport. drivers, not about the system itself. The aim of the project is to increase the The first criterion of success was the mobility of older and disabled people by opinion of disabled and older people making it easier and safer for them to and the increase in bus use – so far use public transport. more than eight per cent. Flexlinjen is public transport open Funding for all passengers, but the trip has to The capital and start-up costs be booked in advance. It has a fixed amounted to €6m and the annual itinerary from a start to a destination, operating costs are €2m. The but only stops at points booked for improvements to date have been arrival or departure and may skip part

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u Rogaland: Boat equipped with hinged, hydraulically operated lift which moves with the tide of the itinerary if there are no bookings. in November 2009. The future Usually there is a fixed time schedule development will focus on making the for the start of each trip, but the travel system more efficient. time may vary from time to time. The planning process started with a Each passenger receives a message traffic supply plan developed jointly by (automatic telephone call) about Trafikkontoret, the Special Transport ten minutes before arrival about the Service and Västtrafik, the public planned arrival time for their stop. transport authority. This established Because it is flexible and stops only the requirement for accessible public where passengers need it, it has a transport and also contained a cost network of stops (close to the origin benefit analysis. and destination of the traveller, This plan laid the foundation for the maximum 150 meters), going close political decision to allocate funds for to but not exactly door to door. planning Flexlinjen. Because of the booking system, a seat and available space for mobility Five organisations of disabled equipment (wheelchair, wheeled walker people are involved in the scheme etc or heavy luggage) will always and it is continuously evaluated by be available. Most buses take 9 -11 independent researchers. passengers and “always” have the This is assessed by the authority as same driver. demonstrating a systematic approach The scheme was started as a result to quality management. of national laws and a local political Evaluation and results initiative. It is a sub-project of KOLLA, Now that the scheme runs throughout which is described more fully at 1.3. the city, there are passenger Flexlinjen started in 1996 and is satisfaction surveys carried out which ongoing. The last Flexlinjen started score very highly. Ninety-nine per cent

62 Section 2: Level access through the transport system

of passengers are very satisfied with (for one bus) are €80,000. The funding the drivers on the service. comes from the city of Göteborg and is Detailed statistics are kept on travel part of the KOLLA project, which started in 2004. It follows an analysis carried patterns. There is a clear indication of a out to study how people with mobility fall in the number of people dependent difficulties can use public transport in an on special transport services. This is in easier and less costly way. part because people wanting to book the special transport service are offered Further information a trip with Flexlinjen instead. Contact: Eva Rodsta, Information Director and Project Manager, city The shift from special service to of Göteborg Flexlinjen has resulted in a significant cost reduction for the city and greater Email: feelings of independence for users. [email protected] The scheme was evaluated through Website: www.goteborg.se and a customer satisfaction survey in www.kolla.goteborg.se spring 2009, which produced very positive results. 7.4 Rogaland, Norway Population 389,000 As a result of feedback, changes have been made to the way the operator Accessible modern boat service communicates with passengers. This example is about the design and implementation of modern, The measure of success is that more accessible boat service, which includes people travel with Flexlinjen. the provision of accessible travel Funding information. The boats have been The capital and start-up costs were in service since April 2007 and are €38,000 and annual operating costs running on an eight-year contract.

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The key objectives are to make boat requirements). Kolumbus employs one transport accessible to a wide range of person dedicated to accessibility issues. passengers in an area where there are The Rogaland regional authority also few alternatives to sea transport. has a plan for universal design. The scheme is part of an action plan Detailed vessel specifications were for universal design dating from 2004 agreed with disabled people’s that covers the whole region. This organisations and disabled people were project focuses on the design of three also involved in inspecting the boats new passenger speed boats, which before completion. are wheelchair accessible (both Good practice has taken about three gangway and boat), with tactile signs, years to achieve with this project and colours to communicate design and in the future plans are for further boats information, and induction loops for with similar requirements, not only in this audible information. region but more generally in Norway. The local transport authority Kolumbus The approach taken to quality sets the tender conditions and management in this case has been AS is the operator. assessed by the authority Kolumbus is owned by the regional as systematic. authorities Rogaland fylkeskommune. Evaluation and results Kolumbus is responsible for public As a result of positive feedback from transport in the region including bus users of the service the same concept and boat transport, school transport was later chosen for the commuter contracts, public transport information, boat service between Oslo (City Hall) publicity and advertising. and Nesodden. The accessibility policy of Kolumbus The success criteria are the is based on the action programme satisfaction levels based on evaluation for universal design (universal design by organisations of disabled people. of the boats was one of the tender

64 Section 2: Level access through the transport system

There is no data yet from this source. The project, which started in 2006 Funding and will run until 2015, is being Detailed figures are not available but funded through grants from national the extra costs of the three boats to Government to the 19 passenger meet universal design requirements are transport authorities in the Netherlands, estimated at less than 0.1 per cent of which are responsible for delivering the overall investment in new boats. the improvements. Further information The overall goal is to improve the Contact: Tomas Nesheim, Kolumbus quality of public transport for all users. Easy access, good information etc is Email: [email protected] helpful for everyone. 7.5 The Netherlands An additional objective has been to enable more disabled people to use Population 16.5 million mainstream public transport and so National policy on reduce pressure on special transport bus accessibility services which are then better able This good practice example is the to meet the needs of those who still national Dutch approach to improving require a door-to-door service. the accessibility of public transport The motivation for the project was by bus. The approach is to make forthcoming legislation on accessibility, approximately 50 per cent of all bus combined with financial pressure on stops in the Netherlands accessible. costs of special services and lobbying Accessibility is defined as: platform by disability organisations. height 18cm; platform width 150cm at door entrance and the inclusion of a Representatives from different guide line/natural sightline. All buses will user groups were consulted in the be low-floor by the end of 2010. development of the project.

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The public transport authorities in the Evaluation and results Netherlands have signed agreements There is evidence of increased with the Ministry of Transport stating passenger numbers on those lines that that they will improve the accessibility of have been made accessible. Users bus stops. report that they are now able to use The Ministry of Transport has set up public transport instead of relying on a working group with the passenger the special transport services. However, transport authorities to discuss the a number of local studies have shown policy. They must then consult with local that although use of public transport user groups about public transport. has increased, this has not resulted in a significant decrease in use of special The guidelines for accessibility were transport. It seems that people are developed by the National Information travelling more because their travel and Technology Centre for Transport horizons have been extended. and Infrastructure (CROW), a non-profit organisation in which the Government Within the greater Utrecht region and and businesses work together in pursuit other large cities, customer surveys are of their common interests. They set carried out on the vehicles. There is up a working group in which different also a routine collection of complaints stakeholders were represented. as well as national surveys. The University of Delft has carried out Passenger transport authorities testing with disabled people to see what provide annual data to the Ministry of gaps they could manage. Transport on bus stop accessibility. The authorities also collect data The project started as an isolated themselves. Some only collect the data approach to quality management, required by the Ministry; others collect but, according to the authorities, has more information, for example on the developed into a systematic approach accessibility of the routes to the bus because of the scale and the number of stops. In the greater Utrecht region stakeholders involved.

66 Section 2: Improvements to infrastructure and the pedestrian environment

they look at the number of disabled van der Velden, BRU (Greater passengers who use public transport Utrecht Region) and also at the complaints from Email: [email protected] or travellers in general. [email protected] There is some information from Website: www.kenniscentrumto-do.nl national and local surveys, but there is no standard format for 8. Improvements to collecting information. infrastructure and the Success is judged on the number of accessible bus stops and on an pedestrian environment increase in the number of disabled Every journey made begins and ends in people travelling. the pedestrian environment. Often the greatest barriers to mobility are found Funding on the streets and pavements, and in The national Government has old inaccessible transport buildings provided €87m. The overall cost of the and infrastructure such as rail or bus project has been estimated to be more stations or stops. than €200m. This section includes four very different Average cost per stop according to examples of good practice in improving bus stops per different region (2006 pedestrian access and access to public prices) were: transport in the city. Two examples • stops in greater urban areas: €18.500 come from capital cities: Lisbon in • stops in urban areas/cities: €13.500 Portugal and Stockholm in Sweden. Two other cities, Krakow in • stops in remaining rural areas: €8.500. and Helsingborg in Sweden also have Further information interesting initiatives. Contact: Guy Hermans, KpVV or Pascal

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The common factor in all four examples The scope comprises all areas in which is that they are old cities, which have the city has a legal duty to promote evolved over many years. History plays accessibility, including outdoor public an important part and has a significant space (pavements, urban parks, etc) impact on their accessibility options and the area between the pedestrian and solutions. environment and public transport. In the case of Lisbon, the scheme The impetus for the plan was provided is still at a very early stage with few by two new national laws: an anti- results. However, it has been included discrimination law and an accessibility as an excellent example of the process law. Both make accessibility mandatory, by which schemes of this kind can be specifically in the context of access to developed and implemented, even in a buildings and to transport. city with the topographical and historic The plan assigns a central role challenges of Lisbon. to promoting the movement, independence, comfort and safety of all 8.1 Lisbon, Portugal pedestrians, particularly of those who Population 550,000 in the city are most vulnerable, including disabled and 2.8 million in greater Lisbon and older people and children. Pedestrian accessibility plan The plan is in its first phase. The The city of Lisbon is developing a methodology was approved by the city pedestrian accessibility plan for the council in July 2009 and work is now city. The main goal of the plan is under way. to make Lisbon an accessible city, The city of Lisbon signed the Barcelona preventing the creation of new barriers Declaration of 1996 on Cities and to access, promoting the elimination Accessibility and is planning several of existing barriers and mobilising the ways of promoting accessibility. At community towards the creation of a present, and in order to help spread city for all. commitment, capacity and responsibility

68 Section 2: Improvements to infrastructure and the pedestrian environment

for access across all its structures, an Some actions will be progressed Accessibility Office provides technical sooner. A series of pilot actions will be support to all city departments. implemented in the course of this period With the planning process underway, to tackle urgent issues, test solutions political approval by the city council for later city-wide implementation, and a clear commitment by the Mayor, and take advantage of ongoing urban work on the plan began with a public interventions as opportunities to consultation session. This brought implement good practice. together the views of the community, Stakeholders have been involved namely members of organisations throughout the planning process and representing disabled people or will continue to be involved during working for child safety or pedestrian the implementation phases. Mixed rights. The session produced a stakeholder forums are bringing diagnosis of the accessibility of together city officials and the community Lisbon’s outdoor public spaces and in order to collect information on the several shared proposals for action. problems that need to be addressed A comprehensive and quantitative and also to generate innovative ideas diagnosis will follow, together with for dealing with them. The process is cost estimates for the work. also becoming a learning opportunity The problems identified and the for all, and will provide a solid shared proposed solutions will be agreed on basis of understanding and commitment by both the city council and the city that is vital for the future sustainability of assembly, and necessary funding will this effort. be written into the city’s year-on-year This has been assessed by the city as investment plan. Once full approval is a systematic approach. This initiative obtained, the proposals will be broken is seen as a continuous process rather down into priority order and an ongoing than a one off scheme or project. work programme will be agreed.

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u Stockholm: A barrier-free pedestrianised street

Evaluation and results Accessibility Unit, Lisbon Municipality Although it is too early to present much or Carlos Gaivoto, Technical Director, evidence, it is important to note that the Lisbon Metropolitan Transport Authority scheme has been warmly supported Email: [email protected]; by political parties and disability [email protected] organisations alike, and also by those campaigning for pedestrian rights. Website: http://acessibilidade.cm-lisboa.pt Quantitative measures have not yet been established but the plan is to 8.2 Stockholm, Sweden develop a set of indicators that will include pedestrian traffic levels at Population 800,000 some strategic points; usage of public Easy access to Stockholm transport by disabled and older people; The ‘Easy access in Stockholm project’, the number of pedestrian accidents; run by the city of Stockholm, aims to user feedback (through surveys) and deliver improved accessibility to the revenue for local shops. built outdoor environment (streets, The success criteria will be the positive pavements and public areas) and to outcomes against the measures public buildings by removing barriers. described above. The project was developed in response Funding to both national and local laws on There are no figures given for funding accessibility. The key goal is to make at this early stage of the project. The Stockholm Europe’s most accessible funding will come solely from the city, city by 2010. although other funding sources to The project started from the premise that help implement the actions are also accessibility is not only a matter of quality being sought. of life; it is also a matter of democracy. Further information The scheme started in 1999 and is Contact: Pedro Homem de Gouveia, due to finish in 2010. At the end of the

70 Section 2: Improvements to infrastructure and the pedestrian environment

project phase the access improvements • Removal of old gutters across the will continue as an integral part of pavement, which were a hazard for everyday work in the city. wheelchair users The starting point for the planning • Raising the level of bus stops to make process was the Disability Policy it easier to get on and off buses and Programme for the City of Stockholm introducing colour contrast to mark adopted in 2004. This is a steering bus stops document for the committees and • Fitting flights of stairs with boards of the City Council and is also new handrails intended to be used by the business community, the disability movement and • Adapting public toilets the citizens of Stockholm at large. The city has also launched an initiative The detailed strategy is based on to speed up the process of improving accessibility plans for each part of the accessibility to public buildings by city. These start with an inventory of awarding a prize to companies which barriers which need to be removed have made their premises more and are then developed into annual accessible. A checklist of necessary programmes of specific measures and access improvements has been drawn investment. Disabled people and other up and distributed to thousands of stakeholders are closely involved in the companies in the city. process through municipal disability The city has also produced a advisory boards. handbook aimed at planners, Among the improvements already designers and architects which made are: provides information about legal requirements and best practice. • Audio signals at pedestrian crossings This has been assessed by the • Seats and benches around the city as a systematic approach to pedestrian environment to provide quality management. resting points

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u Krakow: One of the modernised bus/tram stops in the city centre

Evaluation and results Success is based on satisfaction The key qualitative measure is simply levels expressed by disabled people. feedback from disabled people. Surveys Annual surveys are carried out to are sent to a sample of residents. measure ‘perceived’ accessibility. This So far there has not been any detailed is in addition to regular feedback from evaluation of the project apart from disability organisations. counting completed measures. Funding However, all measures and strategies The scheme has been supported within the project are based on through specially allocated resources in established good practice, meeting the annual city budget of €10m a year both national requirements and legal since 2000. frameworks. The city has a board Further information of users who monitor progress on a Contact: Lars Cedergrund, Director, continuous basis. Easy Access in Stockholm Project The process of counting measures Email: [email protected] taken includes, for example, the percentage of accessible pedestrian Website: www.stockholm.se/tillganglig crossings, bus stops etc. 8.3 Krakow, Poland The key performance indicator is the percentage of the population who Population 760,000 perceive Stockholm as a city with Modifying public transport stops a high-level of accessibility. This is This is a scheme to change or rebuild measured through an ongoing survey. public transport stops in the city of Further, more detailed, analysis will be Krakow to make them safer and more done retrospectively when the project accessible for disabled and older is complete. people. The scheme is co-ordinated by

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the city of Krakow, the Road Transport The city does not have a formal Management Board and the local public accessibility policy but it does have a transport operator. person responsible for disability policy The key objectives are to improve at the level of deputy mayor, described public transport safety and security; to as a ‘plenipotentiary’ on disability improve public transport infrastructure matters. He is a wheelchair user who in the city centre, particularly for takes a comprehensive approach to disabled and older people and to access issues across the city. The reduce the boarding and alighting plan developed from the earlier project times on public transport, particularly described above. for disabled and older people. This example has not been assessed The starting point of the scheme was but from the evidence provided it would an EU-funded project to reconstruct seem to be an ad hoc approach to the Lubicz-Pawia streets intersection quality management. with the introduction of a safe bus Evaluation and results and tram stop (there were particular There is evidence supporting a reduction problems with unsafe exiting from trams in the number of accidents between directly onto the street at Lubicz Street). pedestrians and public transport Reconstructed bus and tram stops are passengers mainly in relation to entering/ being rolled out across the city as a exiting public transport vehicles. result of the ‘Integrated Public Transport The speed of private cars has also in the Krakow Agglomeration’ project. reduced in the area of bus/tram stops. It is a pilot project which has been These two improvements have introduced first in Krakow over a increased the confidence of people to period of between one and two years. use public transport and to move about It may be extended to other cities at a the pedestrian environment. later date.

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u Helsingborg: A wheelchair user boards a low-floor bus

The project is linked with measures requirements of the plan must be taken implemented in the EU Caravel/Civitas into consideration. II Project – Security Action Plan for Funding Public Transport in Krakow. As part of No figures are available for the costs of the survey carried out for this project, this project which was co-funded by the respondents indicated a number of EU and the city. factors that reduce journey comfort and the sense of security in using public Further information transport in Krakow. The main problems Contact: Tomasz Zwoliński Municipality identified were: of Krakow, Urban Infrastructure Office • The difference in floor levels – high- Email: [email protected] floor vehicles were a particular problem for disabled and older people 8.4 Helsingborg, Sweden • The speed of cars passing the bus/ Population 127,000 tram stops Low cost improvements to • The number of cars passing the bus pedestrian access stops which made it difficult to get on This is described as a holistic and and off systematic approach to achieving a low-cost, accessible built environment. The main objectives of the survey were The scheme is financed and run by the to compare the feelings of passengers city council with funding contributions about changed bus/tram stops and from the region and the national road existing ones (where they are exiting administration for accessible bus stops. directly onto the street). After the survey a document called the Security Action The key objectives of the scheme are Plan was developed. The agreement enhanced mobility and quality of life; now is that before any bus or tram meeting legal requirements on the stop is reconstructed, the ideas and removal of barriers to access, and

74 Section 2: Improvements to infrastructure and the pedestrian environment

finding better mobility solutions at a better service more effectively without lower cost (for example by helping major bureaucratic problems. more people to use mainstream public As the project developed, the national transport and reduce dependency on legal framework on accessibility costly special services). became an additional driving force. The scheme started in 2002 as a The achievements to date include pilot project. The budget for it has rebuilding around 60 per cent of the increased every year since then. It bus stops in the city (those most heavily will probably end in its current form used by older and disabled people). in 2011 at which point the physical Improvements include raised kerbs, infrastructure improvements should tactile guidance, seats with armrests, be complete. The focus will then shift shelters and new pavements. In parallel, to projects and supportive solutions Skånetrafiken, the responsible regional to help people navigate the system: public transport authority, has 100 per In other words, looking at using cent low-floor city buses. information and technology to assist people with different kinds of disability There has also been a programme to travel independently. to remove barriers to access in the pedestrian environment. This includes The original motivation for the scheme removing uneven paving, introducing came from local officials and politicians dropped kerbs at crossing points responsible for coordinating special and better lighting, and removal of transport services, mainstream public overhanging trees etc. Stop design transport and town planning. Planning features that are easier for people with for the scheme started when special cognitive disabilities to understand and transport services, local public transport use are also being incorporated. and the design of the pedestrian environment were brought under the A staff and passenger training initiative same unit in the city. This provided a has also been included. Staff provide

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u Barcelona: Metro ticket hall and accessible gates a ‘try our services’ day where disabled wheelchairs, walking frames and people can try out city buses without prams are using public transport. stress. This helps people to become Data has been gathered showing an familiar with getting on and off, using increase in the number of disabled and the ramps, operating the push older people travelling and reduced buttons etc. dependence on special transport The Department of City Planning schemes and other forms of support. and Technical Services in the city Success is being measured by a of Helsingborg has a key official reduction in the number of trips taken responsible for accessibility issues, on bespoke transport services (in spite including updating and training of of an increase in the older population) city staff. It is also responsible for and by feedback from disabled people’s the handbook of accessible outdoor organisations on remaining problems. environments and all new projects in the There is now a comprehensive city have to meet the design criteria set inventory of all public spaces and about out in the handbook. 60 per cent of the issues identified have The scheme is described by the city as been dealt with. part of a systematic approach to quality Funding management covering a wide range of The city has reserved a total of €3m for initiatives including training, drawing up accessibility improvements in outdoor best practice for technical solutions, and environments (removing kerbs, new coordinating access improvements in pavements, etc). So far the costs have transport and the built environment. amounted to about €1,7m. The city Evaluation and results receives €50,000 in grants from the The main source of qualitative Swedish National Road Administration, evidence is coming from feedback Region Skåne, each year. from user organisations and from The city pays €250,000 to improve bus operators. More people with accessibility at the bus stops and the

76 Section 2: Ticketing systems

Swedish National Road administration, are also more intuitive and easier Region Skåne, pays €250,000 each year. to use for everyone. Further information Contact: Agneta Hyberg, City 9.1 Barcelona, Spain of Helsingborg Population 1.5 million Email: [email protected] Design of ticket machines The good practice example is the 9. Ticketing systems development of ticket vending machines One of the greatest challenges for that are usable by visually impaired all public transport users unfamiliar people and other disabled passengers with a city, its transport system or its by Transports Metropolitans de language is how to buy a ticket from a Barcelona (TMB), the operator of public . Every system appears transport in Barcelona. to be different and many offer multiple The key objective of the development choices of ticket types and was to make the ticketing system cards. For blind people and disabled easier for visually impaired and other people, including those with learning disabled people to use and so to disabilities, ticket machines can be promote the use of public transport physically out of reach or unusable by disabled people. The initiative to because of their complexity and lack develop accessible ticket machines was of audible information. in part political and in part the result The good practice example here of demands from ONCE (the Spanish comes from Barcelona, Spain’s second National Organisation of Blind People). city. The universal design approach The ticket machines were designed and adopted by the city means that the built under strict accessibility criteria. ticket machines are not only accessible They are fitted with an ergonomic to disabled people who can now device to allow people in wheelchairs or purchase tickets independently, they people of reduced height to purchase

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the travelcards by themselves using The accessible ticket machines are banknotes, coins or credit cards. now available throughout the Barcelona The development was based on Metro network. the concept of universal design and This project is believed by the operator the involvement of users from the to demonstrate an integrated approach earliest design stages means that it is to quality management. easier, faster and less stressful for all Evaluation and results users. The machine components are The machines are well accepted organised in the order of users’ actions by passengers. rather than in an engineering order. Disabled people were involved from TMB has received an official letter of initial interviews to determine needs, satisfaction from ONCE. validation of the technical and functional Customer satisfaction surveys are requirements during the design process carried out and customer complaints and then approval of the final product. are monitored. It is difficult to estimate The machines are fitted with a the number of people who have navigation system for blind people benefited. However, the machines which, through audio and Braille, are accessible to a wide range of guides the person through the disabled people who can now buy purchasing process. A system for the their tickets independently. duplication of travelcards allows the Success criteria were the formal people who usually purchase the same acceptance of the machines by ticket to buy another one immediately. ONCE and meeting the quality and This is also useful for people with maintenance standards set for TMB’s learning disabilities. technological systems.

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Funding TMB’s budget comes from public funding. The project and maintenance costs are covered by a framework agreement that is signed periodically with public institutions. Further information Contact: Maite Peris Colom, Directora de Promoció Corporativa i Relacions Públiques Email: [email protected] Website: www.designbuild-network.com/ projects/barcelona/

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Section 3: Conclusions and further resources

1. Conclusions It is important to note, that from the point of view of the disabled traveller, The examples given in this Guide are no single feature or scheme will make a by no means the only good practice journey accessible. It is only when every in Europe – there may be better link in the chain that makes up a journey examples, there are certainly many from door-to-door is complete that it others. The Guide has set out to is possible to travel with confidence. give a cross section of illustrations of As the saying goes, a chain is only as how accessibility is being tackled in strong as its weakest link and that is Europe’s cities across a wide range of particularly true in this context. geographical, cultural and economic circumstances. Those responsible for In many cities, the links between the these issues in cities should be able to chains are the responsibility of different find useful ideas and approaches from authorities or private companies among those in the Guide which they (for example the highways authority can adapt to the conditions of their responsible for maintenance of streets own city. and pavements may have no formal connection to the transport provider). Some of the examples have involved This makes it more difficult – but long term commitment over many nonetheless important – to ensure that years and major expenditure. Others those links are joined. are simple low cost measures that benefit only a limited number of people Failure to take a holistic approach can (perhaps addressing only one disability mean that the value of investment need) but they are nonetheless an in accessible buses or trains is not illustration of how a start can be fully realised because the pedestrian made on accessibility whatever the access to the stops and stations is not circumstances and finances of the city. accessible; the staff have not been

80 Section 3: Conclusions and further resources

trained to offer the necessary customer made to the lives of disabled people support or the information or signing is and how many people are still unable to not in formats that people can read. travel and why. Public transport accessibility is A number of other outputs from the developing and changing fast with Mediate project detailed below may help more and more parts of Europe to address some of these gaps. now recognising need and investing in solutions. This means that new 2. Further resources vehicle designs and new technology will bring further improvements in the 2.1 Accessibility indicators near future. Real time and journey A set of common indicators has been planning information systems that developed describing accessibility of can help disabled people to work out urban public transport. an accessible journey even when the whole network is not complete are also The accessibility indicators are intended increasingly important links in the chain. for use by public authorities to assess local public transport systems, but may One general observation from the also be used by individual operators examples given here, which may help and end user organisations. those working on future priorities, is the general lack of monitoring and The indicators serve to highlight evaluation after improvements have different aspects of accessibility within been put in place. Most feedback a city, pointing out strengths and is anecdotal, which is helpful up to weaknesses of the public transport a point but will not help authorities system, rather than a comparison and operators to understand what between cities. This is intended fundamental difference the scheme has to contribute to a harmonised

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understanding of accessibility issues, 2.4 End user platform and the need for improvements, Finally, Mediate has also created an throughout Europe. end user platform representing a broad 2.2 Self-assessment tool range of passenger groups, which will continue beyond the life-span of A self-assessment tool has also been the project to provide feedback and developed to give an indication of the guidance on accessibility initiatives. actual quality of accessibility of public transport in a city or a region. 2.5 Information The tool is designed to help authorities Further information on all these outputs (cities, regions) and public transport can be found on the Mediate website at operators determine what actions they http://www.mediate-project.eu/. could take to improve accessibility. Both the quality scoring and the formulation of improvements make this tool a useful system for assessing accessibility of public transport. 2.3 APTIE website The Mediate project has also set up a ‘one stop shop’ website (www.aptie.eu) providing information on, or reference to, a wide range of items related to accessibility in public transport (case studies, policy, research, etc.).

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