Mobility and Accessibility Problems Around School Mobility and Accessibility Problems Around School

Neelima Chakrabarty,Purnima Parida and Nishi Mittal

Background Of this StudyBackground Of this Study

Part of In-House project 2007-2008

The Principal and founder of the school had specially requested to carry out a survey for finding a solution for accessibility around school

Three schools (Bluebells School International, Tagore International School, and Government School) and a college (Lady Sri Ram College) are directly linked with Lala Rajpat Rai Marg.

a)To Identify barriers to children movement near school premises;

a)To Document & record the accessibility of the road and street infrastructure;

a)To Develop solutions for eliminating these barriers;

a)To Outlines for the guidelines of safe accessibility of the road for children Promote research on user friendly designs

MAJOR OBJECTIVE(S)

MethodologyMethodology

a) Observation by the Team

b) Opinion survey conducted

School Teachers

School Children

Selection of School Area : 500 meters approach/around school premises of the

school was selected for the study for identification of different access barriers near school premises

ACCESS AUDIT OF BLUEBELLS SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL OUT SIDE SCHOOL

ACCESS AUDIT OF BLUEBELLS SCHOOL INTERNATIONAL OUT SIDE SCHOOL

S.No. Audited Area

1 Footpath

2 Road Signs

3 Parking Facilities

4 Problems of Encroachment ( if any)

5 Bus Stand Facilities

6 Entrance to the school

7 Road side accessible features

Observation of Footpaths CharacteristicObservation of Footpaths Characteristic

i. Pathways were not wide enough to cater the needs of pedestrians even wheeling space was not provided for a wheelchair user.

ii. Surface of the footpath was not even, not continuous, without appropriate warning and guided tiles for the persons with disabilities.

Other Observed Problems Other Observed Problems Absence of Zebra

Crossing Near school (Gate –I and Gate-II and near Gate-III)

  Speed limit sign were not

introduced from both of the side of the school.

ABSENCE OF ROAD SIGNS : NO PARKING SIGN was not placed adjoining to the school wall.

PROBLEMS WITH STRAY ANIMALSPROBLEMS WITH STRAY ANIMALS GARBAGE AREA NEAR GATE –III :Inviting Cattle and Creating Havoc For Passing Children.

Observation of Bus Stand FacilitiesObservation of Bus Stand Facilities

No Textual/ audio cues were present for identifying bus stop

and location of boarding

No Bus Route map was provided so it was difficult to

identify the bus route and bus number

Bus shelter was not in good condition for providing protection

during adverse weather condition

Deep excavations around the bus stand were compelling the

children to wait on the road for bus facing heavy traffic

Unauthorized ParkingUnauthorized Parking

Adjacent the school premises unauthorized car parking was causing congestion and problem in walking and crossing

Use of Cycle Rickshaw as a Mode of Transport

Problems of VendorsProblems of Vendors

Vendors were creating encroachment problems

near pedestrian walkways and also block road

side areas

Children gather around those vendors near

school premises and collide with ongoing traffic

RISK TAKING PRACTICES NEAR SCHOOL PREMISESRISK TAKING PRACTICES NEAR SCHOOL PREMISES

Standing and Chatting

on Road facing high traffic

Running while Crossing the road

Not Using Zebra Crossing While Crossing the Road Not Using Zebra Crossing While Crossing the Road

It has revealed from the opinion survey report that 82% of the students were not using zebra crossing

Zebra crossing was at the end of the road

THE OPINION SURVEY OF BLUE BELLS SCHOOL STUDENTS

THE OPINION SURVEY OF BLUE BELLS SCHOOL STUDENTS

SAMPLE

148 students i.e. 59 students of 12 to 14 years

age group and 89 students of 14 to 16 years age group participated in the survey

School teachers also participated in the survey

Mode of TransportMode of Transport

Car Parking Chaos Car Parking Chaos

Opinion Survey of School ChildrenOpinion Survey of School Children

S.NO. Item Options % 1   

Crossing the Road

 

Arriving at the school 51

Departure from the school 49

2    

Help provided while crossing

  

Parents 79Teachers 1

Security Guards 1

Senior Students 193  

Use of zebra crossing

 

yes 18

no 82

4 

Cause of not using zebra

crossing 

There is no Zebra crossing near school premises 22

You have to walk to the end of the road to find zebra crossing 78

Opinion Survey of School Children

STUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATIONSTUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATION

Item No.

Description YES%

NO%

1 Are the road crossing area andLay outs appropriate ? 23 77

2 Is forward visibility of road crossingacceptable? 46 54

3 Are school children obstructed bytrees or On-carriageway obstructions while crossing the road? 31 69

4 Are traffic signals visible toChildren? 45 55

5 Are there any pedestrian facilities sited? 0 100

6 Is the green man phase present at traffic signal ? 0 100

STUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATIONSTUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATION

Item No.

Description YES%

NO%

7 Street lights are appropriate at night? 44 568 Is additional lighting required? 77 239 Are dropped kerbs provided and well

located? 15 8510 Is tactile paving for persons with

vision impairment provided? 0 10011 Is there sufficient footway width for

pedestrian with prams/other loads available? 0 100

12 Is there sufficient footway width for wheelchairs, crutch user/any other mobility aid user? 0 100

STUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATIONSTUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATION

Item No.

Description YES%

NO%

13 Are staggered facilities creating problems for crossing the road? 23 77

14 Is anti skid surfacing provided on footpath? 0 100

15 Do signal poles unduly Obstruct the footway? 31 69

16 Do signal poles have adequate clearance from the carriageway? 38 62

STUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATIONSTUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATIONItemNo

Description YES (%) NO (%)

1 7 Do posts or rails have sharp edges, protrusions or

parts that can entrap children or mobility aid users? 62 38

18 Are bus lane widths sufficient? 15 85

19 Are there adequate signs and markings? 46 54

20 Is the location of a bus stop force general traffic to

cross the centre line at unsafe locations? 23 77

21 Do the locations of bus stop significantly affect

forward visibility? 20 80

22 Are there adequate waiting areas for pedestrians

around bus stops? 38 62

STUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATIONSTUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATION

Item No.

Description YES (%) NO (%)

23 Does any parking obstruct cycle facilities? 69 31

24 Does un authorized car parking create problems at bus stop ? 69 31

25 Can evening/night time parking cause accident? 54 46

26 Has the parking sufficient width to enable the safe opening of a stopped vehicle door? 31 69

STUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATIONSTUDY RESULTS OF TEACHERS OBSERVATION

Item No.

Description YES%

NO%

27 Are street lights appropriate at night time? 14 8628 Is additional lighting required?

77 2329 Is tactile paving for persons with vision

impairment provided? 0 10030 Is there any sufficient footway width for

pedestrian ? 0 10031 Is there sufficient footway width for

wheelchairs, crutch user/any other mobility aid user? 0 100

Situation Seems To Be Worst For The Night Users Road Signs Are Invisible And Not Retro Reflective

CSIR-CRRI ContributionCSIR-CRRI Contribution

Creating Awareness Road Signs, signals Using Road

Infrastructures

----- Forwarded Message ----From: Bluebells School International bluebels@rediffmail.com

Sent: Thursday, 26 April, 2007 2:07:19 PMSubject: Bluebells School International 26.04.2007

ToDr.P.K NandaDirector CRRI, Mathura RoadNew Delhi-20

Kind Attention: Dr.S.Gangopadhyay.

Subject: Seminar on Road Safety for children of Bluebells School International.

Dear Sir,

Please allow us to express our profound thanks for educating our students in Road Safety. We are all Road users at some time, whether as drivers, cyclists, pedestrians or passengers. Road safety is an issue that affects us all. Thanks a lot for the film, which we are going to show to all students of the School.

Our special thanks to Dr.Neelima Chakraboty and Dr. Nishi Mittal for their efforts in organizing such an important seminar. We are sorry for the small mishap on the part of the school in sending you a double load of students. We are going to be more careful next time and are looking forward enthusiastically for collaborating with you in future.Thanking you again,Yours sincerely,(Mrs G.Soni)  ManagerBluebells School InternationalKailsh, New Delhi.

Road Safety Training of School Children

School Driver ScreeningSchool Driver Screening

CSIR-CRRI VisionCSIR-CRRI Vision

To make Our Country An inclusive NMT-friendly place,

one that allows NMT users to integrate with the wider community and lead active lives. Starting from the home, flats and buildings will be User-friendly. Coming out of their homes, the built environment and transport system will be barrier-free, affordable & safe , unhindered travel passage; e.g. accessible lifts, walkways and transport pick-up points, complemented by a user-friendly transportation system to their destinations