University of London Centre for Transport Studies Working Paper
MEASURING ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT: CONCEPTS
Abstract
Accessibility to public transport is important because it is the default
means of travel for everyone. A number of changes to technologies and infrastructure
have been developed in the attempt to make public transport systems accessible:
low floor buses, fully-accessible bus stops etc. This paper considers how
to establish for whom these enhancements act as a benefit (and for
whom they do not). The paper discusses the concepts underlying a method
to measure accessibility to public transport. An approach is described
and a suggestion for testing it proposed. The method is based on estimating
the percentage of people for whom each element of the public transport
system is a barrier. The method produces a countable measure of accessibility
which is sensitive to the different (and sometimes conflicting) needs of
people with mobility impairments. The possibility of using this approach
as the basis for setting standards for accessibility to public transport
is discussed.
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