Universal Design for Railways —Accessibility for Everyone Kazuo Kimura
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F Railway Universal Designs and Architectural Features eature Universal Design for Railways —Accessibility for Everyone Kazuo Kimura office for UD within its planning Introduction department to promote UD throughout Experience in Stockholm the prefecture, whether for municipal The universal design (UD) concept was facilities or for government stationary When I was in Stockholm more than 25 proposed in the USA 20 years ago and is envelopes. In 2000, the national years ago, I boarded a subway train and now being applied throughout Japan as a government enacted the ‘Barrier-Free unknowingly sat down in a priority seat guiding principle in barrier-free Transportation Law’ leading to the for disabled people and I remember being transportation, including railway trains installation of escalators and lifts in many told off! The seat did feel different and and stations. For full application, the UD railway stations. when I compared it with the other seats I concept should be adopted as an Professor Ron Mace of North Carolina realized it was 8-cm higher and had a grip important element at the master plan State University in the USA was the first on the window side. Also, a sign in stage, giving special consideration to the person to advocate UD concepts in 1985. Swedish indicated the seat was for elderly and disabled. He defined UD as the design of products disabled people. I found this unusual, The term ‘UD’ has become a modern and environments that can be used by because in Japan in those days most train buzzword in Japan where UD principles people of all ages and abilities to the seats for the disabled were identified only are being applied to homes, motor greatest extent possible without the need by a label or different coloured upholstery. vehicles, electric appliances, stationery, for adaptation or specialized design. His However, today, many Japanese trains daily goods, fashion, etc. seven UD principles are summarized on have UD features incorporated right from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and pp.32–37 in this issue of JRTR. the earliest design stage (Table 1). Industry (METI) recently established the Even though the UD principles were ‘born’ Several Japanese tramway operators, Kyoyo-Hin Foundation, an organization in the USA, they are now applied more in including Hiroshima Electric Railway in promoting common-use goods. At the Japan than in the USA, especially for Hiroshima City have introduced extra- local government level, the Shizuoka product development. In Europe, the UD low-floor trams and some of this rolling prefectural government has established an concept is generally called ‘Design for All.’ stock has been constructed using Japanese technology only. Since light rail trains are now being run over existing railway lines, Table 1 Train UD Features hopefully this trend toward accessible Seats Armrests on both sides for easy push up to stand light rail transit will grow. Grips on side wall When I participated in a symposium on Higher seats Larger seat area separated from neighbours Rail Travel for the Disabled in Dortmund, Grip on top of seat Germany, several years ago, someone Hand straps Rings at different heights asked me whether disabled passengers in Accessible straps and rings Japan can go unassisted to the restaurant car. I answered that almost no Japanese Baggage racks Installed lower trains even have a restaurant car—instead, Doors Wider openings it is common for passengers to buy a Signs or illuminated indications on floor level Narrow gap between carriage and platform boxed lunch, which we consider Audible warning when doors open and close convenient because we can eat it at our Easy-to-read indications for semi-automatic doors (easy Japanese hiragana own seat. My answer caused some letters instead of difficult kanji characters) laughter, because in Europe it seems that Toilets Large the general idea is for everyone, whether Device for ostomy patients Baby chair disabled or not, should be able to move about to other cars, including the Others Lifts for wheelchair users Large easy-to-read signs on trains restaurant car and first-class cars. Some LED or LCD information panels time ago in Japan, one might have seen Multilingual public address system priority seating for disabled people in Wheelchair berths Braille indications (car numbers, door positions, etc.) smoking cars, but ordinary and first-class Separate smoking and non-smoking carriages cars rarely had enhanced features for disabled people. 6 Japan Railway & Transport Review 45 • August 2006 Disabled priority seat with armrests on both sides on Kintetsu Series 21 cars (Author) Hand straps at different heights on Kintetsu Series 21 cars (Author) Private compartments on the Series 100 Best Practice at Central Japan in a dedicated area. A play area for small shinkansen were once often used by International Airport children has been constructed near the families travelling with a baby, because boarding gates where they can make as travel in a regular carriage with a crying Central Japan International Airport opened much noise as they want while waiting infant could prove embarrassing if in Nagoya in February 2006 is a good for departure. neighbouring business people cast a example to introduce novices to UD After several months in actual use, I hear disapproving look. If conventional trains concepts. The airport master plan called that some facilities have encountered in Japan had compartments for small for an airport terminal based on UD, various problems and requests from users groups and families. like in Europe, accessible to everyone. Part of the design while the airport terminal operator has Japanese mothers would have an easier work was assigned to associations for said that UD requires continuous, long- time travelling by train. disabled people who held a total of 151 term organization and commitment. Although foreigners travelling in Japan study sessions and on-site inspections. find shinkansen fascinating, I sometimes Their work often involved bridging the gap see them having difficulty with bulky between requirements for vision-impaired Wide UD Applicability luggage due to lack of a baggage section. people and requirements for people with More recently, special express rail-air walking difficulties. In some cases, group Universal design principles can be applied links in Japan are offering user-friendly members could not agree, suggesting that not only to railway facilities and passenger space for luggage, and hopefully future UD issues may have their own carriages but also to operation of facilities shinkansen cars will do so too. However, complications. and customer services. some UD features are now quite common At any rate, the associations were Railways in Greater Tokyo operate world- in train stations. For example, up instrumental in ensuring the airport has renowned through services linking JR East, escalators are installed even when there no stairs at all from the airport train private lines and subways. The Yamagata are just 10 steps to climb, and down station to the boarding gates. The station and Akita shinkansen also run on narrow- escalators are no longer rare. Similarly, platform has safety doors and baggage gauge railway lines. Other user-friendly double handrails on staircases are carts are available for passengers exiting features include: becoming fairly common. the train, a great advantage for people • Different trains travelling in the same New rail systems in particular are now with large suitcases. Once they exit the direction but to different destinations more likely to plan accessible features at wide ticket wickets, travellers wheel their use the same platform, letting the design stage. For example, on the carts directly to the check-in counters. passengers change trains easily. Nanakuma Line operated by Fukuoka City Signs and information boards are at • Kyushu Shinkansen passengers can Transportation Bureau, the maximum gap wheelchair eye level for easy checking make connections from the same between trains and the straight platform of arrival or departure information. The platform at Shin Yatsushiro Station. edge is 52 ±2 mm and the maximum level moving walkways are wide enough for difference is 5 mm. These features would travellers to walk past wheelchairs. In As in the EU, these approaches could also never have seen the light of day if the the public washrooms, users can take be used for easy transfer between different master plan had not stipulated them. their baggage into the stall and place it modes. The configuration of Central Japan Railway & Transport Review 45 • August 2006 7 Railway Universal Designs and Architectural Features Narrow gap between train and platform, and illuminated floor exit indication on Departure board at easy-to-read height in Central Japan International Airport(Author) Meitetsu Series 2000 cars (Author) Japan International Airport’s transportation the location of the information counter is Because Japan’s population is aging services permits this for travellers using seen in too many stations elsewhere. rapidly, we need a stronger commitment multiple transportation modes (train, bus, to UD, beginning at the master plan stage, taxi, private cars using a parking lot, and Door-to-Door Continuity and and every project should incorporate UD even a high-speed ferry). Similarly, the Uniformity principles as a prerequisite. introduction of prepaid cards, such as Surutto Kansai and Passnet, which provide A traveller’s itinerary starts at home and access to the services of different transport ends at the destination. No matter how Motivated Staff operators without requiring multiple ticket complete the UD amenities may be along purchases, has made transferring from one the route, if a disabled person has A guide from a travel agency specializing operator to another easier. If IC cards (like difficulties when transferring to a similar in overseas travel for disabled people JR East’s Suica card) become more or different mode of transport, the result wrote that when she guided several common, travellers could use a single is inconvenience and dissatisfaction.