The access of disabled and low mobility people to transport services has to take place as easy as that of passengers without health problems. This can be achieved by paying special attention to necessary assistance and specialized installations for vehicles.
In Europe, one of five citizens has a problem in using public transport because of age, disability or low mobility. Aside from the legal regulations already in force, rolling stock manufacturers have to adapt their concepts in train design and operators have to set up policies and find solutions to collaborate with the industry in order to answer to the needs of passengers with low mobility.
For transport operators, buying vehicles has to ensure comfortable transport for all passengers. When buying new vehicles or upgrading the railcar fleet, universal design is a priority. These social aspects become a parameter in train construction. Vehicles have to provide optimum comfort, space, reliability, style and safety which also mean easy and safe access for all passengers, including low mobility people.
Although sometimes space is limited based on safety grounds, manufacturers and operators are equally responsible of the equipment and services necessary to disabled people. Technological progress helps improve reliability and the quality of components and train equipment, while exterior and interior design can exploit technological evolution to meet passengers’ requirements. For example, railcars are equipped with special spaces and systems which can also be effortlessly used by disabled people.
The efficient approach of these characteristics has to be based on assistance from the railway industry capable to identify the best solutions.
For example, the spaces for wheelchairs have to be compliant with international standards which are 700 x 1200 mm and the wheelchair and its user don’t have to be heavier than 250-350 kg. If these conditions are met the wheelchair will be connected during the journey and the user will have access to ramps, elevators etc.
If the railway industry offers efficient and comfortable solutions for disabled people, transport operators have the responsibility to include in their policies the strategy on facilitating access which means the continuous improvement of services and travel conditions for disabled people, details on implementing plans and policies for optimising accessibility, as well as solutions for approaching the needs of this segment of passengers. For operators, analysing and adopting measures will help increase the number of passengers and the market share of railway transport; for the industry, this would mean the optimisation of interior design concepts and development of the business segment.
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