IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/trapol/v44y2015icp143-150.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of Universally accessible public transport–a before and after study

Author

Listed:
  • Aarhaug, Jørgen
  • Elvebakk, Beate

Abstract

The article studies the effects of universal design measures in public transport. It is based on an evaluation conducted by the authors in 2010-2012 - a before and after study of measures partfunded by a Norwegian government funding program for improved accessibility in six different cities. The article employs a two-pronged empirical approach; quantitative surveys of all passengers on the affected routes (supplemented by interviews with drivers and personnel), and qualitative case studies with individual public transport users with disabilities. The first part of the article describes how universal design measures are perceived by and affect passengers in general, and discuss whether such measures may lead to an increase in the number of passengers. The second part considers how such measures influence the experience of travelling for passengers with disabilities, and what it takes for disabled passengers to be able to use public transport on par with other citizens. We conclude that previous surveys, which have not included control cases and questions, have probably overestimated passenger effects of universal design measures, as the results are affected by demographic factors. We still find that the measures have a positive impact on patronage. Like earlier studies, we find that the majority of respondents having trouble using public transport, report that this is due to bringing a pram or heavy luggage. We hypothesize that positive effects on passenger numbers due to reduced expulsion, (i.e. that certain groups are able to continue using public transport for a longer period when it is universally designed) may mean that effects on passenger numbers can increase over time. We find that in terms of social economics, universal design is profitable even with fairly low passenger numbers. The case studies demonstrate that although universal design measures contribute to enabling persons with disabilities to use public transport, such measures should be analyzed as parts of a transport system, not separately . The various elements of the system, including the people employed in it, must continuously work together to maintain universality. This goes for maintenance as well as for services provided by drivers. To secure mobility for people with disabilities, it is also essential that the systemis predictable and that accessibility is from door-to-door, not only from bus-stop to bus-stop.

Suggested Citation

  • Aarhaug, Jørgen & Elvebakk, Beate, 2015. "The impact of Universally accessible public transport–a before and after study," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 143-150.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:44:y:2015:i:c:p:143-150
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tranpol.2015.08.003
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X15300421
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tranpol.2015.08.003?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Meyers, Allan R. & Anderson, Jennifer J. & Miller, Donald R. & Shipp, Kathy & Hoenig, Helen, 2002. "Barriers, facilitators, and access for wheelchair users: sbstantive and methodologic lessons from a pilot study of environmental effects," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(8), pages 1435-1446, October.
    2. Golledge, Reginald G. & Marston, James R., 1999. "Towards an Accessible City: Removing Functional Barriers to Independent Travel for Blind and Vision-Impaired Residents and Visitors," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt79n6s0p0, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    3. Priya, Tanu & Uteng, André, 2009. "Dynamics of transport and social exclusion: Effects of expensive driver's license," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 16(3), pages 130-139, July.
    4. Wennberg, Hanna & Hydén, Christer & Ståhl, Agneta, 2010. "Barrier-free outdoor environments: Older peoples' perceptions before and after implementation of legislative directives," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(6), pages 464-474, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kaniz Fatima & Sara Moridpour & Chris De Gruyter & Tayebeh Saghapour, 2020. "Elderly Sustainable Mobility: Scientific Paper Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-17, September.
    2. Jillian M. Rickly & Nigel Halpern & Marcus Hansen & John Welsman, 2021. "Travelling with a Guide Dog: Experiences of People with Vision Impairment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Juan Camilo Mansilla & Normand Boucher & François Routhier, 2024. "Public Transport in the Disabling City: A Narrative Ethnography of Dilemmas and Strategies of People with Mobility Disabilities," Disabilities, MDPI, vol. 4(1), pages 1-34, March.
    4. Anja K. Faulhaber & Jens Hegenberg & Sophie Elise Kahnt & Franz Lambrecht & Daniel Leonhäuser & Stefan Saake & Franka Wehr & Ludger Schmidt & Carsten Sommer, 2022. "Development of a Passenger Assistance System to Increase the Attractiveness of Local Public Transport," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-17, March.
    5. Mohiuddin, Hossain & Bhuiya, Md Musfiqur Rahman & Hasan, Md Musleh Uddin & Jamme, Huê-Tâm, 2024. "How individual perceptions of transportation systems influence mode choice for mobility-challenged people: A case study in Dhaka using an integrated choice and latent variable model," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 259-270.
    6. Peña Cepeda, Elizabeth & Galilea, Patricia & Raveau, Sebastián, 2018. "How much do we value improvements on the accessibility to public transport for people with reduced mobility or disability?," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 445-452.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Julie Le Gallo & Yannick L'Horty & Pascale Petit, 2014. "Does subsidising young people to learn to drive promote social inclusion? Evidence from a large controlled experiment in France," TEPP Working Paper 2014-15, TEPP.
    2. Iqbal Hamiduddin & Daniel Fitzpatrick & Rebekah Plueckhahn & Uurtsaikh Sangi & Enkhjin Batjargal & Erdenetsogt Sumiyasuren, 2021. "Social Sustainability and Ulaanbaatar’s ‘Ger Districts’: Access and Mobility Issues and Opportunities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-16, October.
    3. Delbosc, Alexa & Currie, Graham, 2011. "Exploring the relative influences of transport disadvantage and social exclusion on well-being," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 555-562, August.
    4. Hallgrimsdottir, Berglind & Wennberg, Hanna & Svensson, Helena & Ståhl, Agneta, 2016. "Implementation of accessibility policy in municipal transport planning – Progression and regression in Sweden between 2004 and 2014," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 196-205.
    5. Cheng Chia-Hsin, 2020. "The Satisfaction Study of People with Disabilities Regarding the Restaurant with Barrier-Free Environment in Taiwan Tourism Area," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 13(4), pages 1-1, April.
    6. Jiemeng Yang & Chen He & Zhongjun Mo & Junchao Guo & Run Ji & Yu Wang & Chunjing Tao & Yubo Fan, 2022. "The Effects of Pedestrian Environment on Ambulation with a Walking Frame in Elderly Individuals: A Survey and Experimental Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-14, July.
    7. David S. Vale & Fernando Ascensão & Nuno Raposo & António Pedro Figueiredo, 2017. "Comparing access for all: disability-induced accessibility disparity in Lisbon," Journal of Geographical Systems, Springer, vol. 19(1), pages 43-64, January.
    8. Das, Priyanka & Maitra, Swati, 2024. "Priority areas of intervention for improving pedestrian infrastructure and facilities at tourist destinations in India," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 126-136.
    9. Hallgrimsdottir, Berglind & Svensson, Helena & Ståhl, Agneta, 2015. "Long term effects of an intervention in the outdoor environment—a comparison of older people’s perception in two residential areas, in one of which accessibility improvements were introduced," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 90-97.
    10. Saghapour, Tayebeh & Moridpour, Sara & Thompson, Russell G., 2016. "Public transport accessibility in metropolitan areas: A new approach incorporating population density," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 273-285.
    11. Márquez, Luis & Cantillo, Víctor & Arellana, Julián, 2014. "How are comfort and safety perceived by inland waterway transport passengers?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 46-52.
    12. Licaj, Idlir & Haddak, Mouloud & Pochet, Pascal & Chiron, Mireille, 2012. "Individual and contextual socioeconomic disadvantages and car driving between 16 and 24years of age: a multilevel study in the Rhône Département (France)," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 22(C), pages 19-27.
    13. Ståhl, Agneta & Horstmann, Vibeke & Iwarsson, Susanne, 2013. "A five-year follow-up among older people after an outdoor environment intervention," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 134-141.
    14. Idlir Licaj & Mouloud Haddak & Pascal Pochet & Mireille Chiron, 2011. "Contextual deprivation, daily travel and road traffic injuries among the young in the Rhône Département (France)," Post-Print halshs-00579719, HAL.
    15. Kamruzzaman, Md. & Hine, Julian, 2011. "Participation index: a measure to identify rural transport disadvantage?," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 19(4), pages 882-899.
    16. Castillo-Manzano, José I. & Castro-Nuño, Mercedes, 2012. "Driving licenses based on points systems: Efficient road safety strategy or latest fashion in global transport policy? A worldwide meta-analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 191-201.
    17. Taylor, Zbigniew & Józefowicz, Iwona, 2012. "Intra-urban daily mobility of disabled people for recreational and leisure purposes," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 155-172.
    18. Letizia Appolloni & Daniela D’Alessandro, 2023. "Neighborhoods’ Walkability for Elderly People: An Italian Experience," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-22, December.
    19. Labbé, Delphine & Heider, Amy & Eisenberg, Yochai & Gould, Robert & Jones, Robin, 2024. "Reflection on the application of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to a national policy to improve inclusion of people with disabilities," Evaluation and Program Planning, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    20. Vanessa Stjernborg, 2019. "Accessibility for All in Public Transport and the Overlooked (Social) Dimension—A Case Study of Stockholm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-16, September.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:trapol:v:44:y:2015:i:c:p:143-150. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/30473/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.