UNIACCESS

UNIACCESS

Design of Universal Accessibility Systems for Public Transport

SIXTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMMEPRIORITY 6.2: Sustainable Surface Transport

FP6-2003-Transport-3

UNIACCESS

What is UNIACCESS?

2-year Coordinated Action to define concepts for universal accessibility in public transport funded by 6FP

Goal: promote and support the networking coordination of research and innovation activities in the field of universal design of accessibility systems for public transport.

Partners: multi-sectoral (GIAT, ENIL, AGE, SINTEF, CRF, COCEMFE, STS, POLIS, RATP)

Group of experts

UNIACCESS

Why Uniaccess?

Society’s commitment to equality of opportunity

yet

Public transport far from being universally accessible due to:

• No accessibility provisions

• Discontinuity in accessibility provisions

• Accessible devices out of order

• Public attitudes (PT staff and passengers) to people with mobility difficulties

• Inclusive design principles more developed in building sector than transport sector

UNIACCESS

An accessible public transport system benefits all – the quality of a system is often a key factor in modal choice decisions

People with reduced mobility represent a hidden group of potential public transport users

More accessible transport can reduce the need for specialized transport means required by the elderly and disabled people

however

UNIACCESS

Main activities of Uniaccess

To collect useful state-of-the-art knowledge for designing universal accessibility system for public transport.

To produce a roadmap of future R&D in universal design

To come up with new R&D project proposals allows us to bridge the technology gaps.

To define an improved collaborative innovation process

To raise awareness of universal design

UNIACCESS

State of the art – Infrastructure Retrofitting of older interchanges/

stations is expensive and full accessibility is difficult to achieve.

Furniture installed by service providers (cafes, shops, etc) is a major obstacle.

Verbal announcements are difficult to deliver due to multiplicity of noises & passenger complaints

Wide control gates encourage fraud. Control gates should offer a compromise between comfort for the users and fight against fraud

Illegal parking at bus stops is an obstacle to the deployment of

accessible systems

Zagreb

Malmø

UNIACCESS

State of the art – Vehicles

Life of certain vehicles very long (especially trains & trams) and retrofitting often costly and not comprehensive.

Despite technological improvements (e.g., kneeling cushions, ramps, etc), boarding and disembarking is still a challenge for people with reduced mobility due to steps/gaps.

Ramps take time to open/close and, in the case of manual ramps, require the drivers assistance which inconveniences both drivers and other passengers due to time lost.

‘Aggressive’ driving (e.g., bus pulling away before everyone seated) can discourage people with reduce mobility from using public transport.

Wheelchair users take more place in vehicles than other users and their evacuation can take longer.

UNIACCESS

State of the art – legislation & standards

Legislation on public transport accessibility in Europe varies widely in scope and structure.

Where legislation exists, it is not always adequately implemented due to lack of guidance, funding and enforcement.

Absence of public transport accessibility standards – industry is crying out for standards.

Legislation & standards alone will not deliver full accessibility. Policy and societal actions have role to play.

UNIACCESS

State of the art – Society

Lack of societal awareness about needs of people with reduced mobility.

Poor public transport staff attitudes towards PRM passengers (drivers under pressure to meet schedules).

The growing proportion of people who cannot use conventional public transport constitutes a significant cost for society due to necessity to use private car or to provide specialised transport - taxis, community buses, etc.

UNIACCESS

Roadmap for Future Research and Development

Requirements

Emerging concepts

ROADMAP

State of the art Vision of the future

UNIACCESS

R&D roadmap – overview B

efor

e th

e Jo

urne

y T

o th

e te

rmin

alA

t the

term

inal

, pl

atfo

rm, s

top

Adapted to usersituation

Multimodalinterfaces

Personal assistance

Multi-lingualStandardized terminology

Written &spoken for all

Stand. acrossplatforms

Adapt to user situation

Same solutionfor all providers

Plan a tripunaided

Universaldesign for all

Free from obstacles

Comfortableand effective

Short distancesor alternatives

Understandstreet scene

Confirmcorrect arrival

Understandnavigation info

Integrate area planning and layout

Protection along route

Sound and written info

Repeat soundand written info

Universal access to info-point

Universal understanding

Positioning &navigation aid

All languages

Personal assistance

Check -in or self handling

Safe storage and handling

Accessible vendingmachines

Virtual manned services

Multimodal interfaces

Standardinterface design

User profile special need

No physical obstacles

Self reliance in navigation

Universalentering

Short or alternatives

Universal walking path

Information access

Information integration

Information in general

Physical obstacles

Walking

Information and orientation

Safety

Departure information

Luggage handling

Ticketing

Physical design

Comfortable distances

ANNEX 2 - IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES

Bef

ore

the

Jour

ney

To

the

term

inal

At t

he te

rmin

al,

plat

form

, sto

p

Adapted to usersituation

Multimodalinterfaces

Personal assistance

Multi-lingualStandardized terminology

Written &spoken for all

Stand. acrossplatforms

Adapt to user situation

Same solutionfor all providers

Plan a tripunaided

Universaldesign for all

Free from obstacles

Comfortableand effective

Short distancesor alternatives

Understandstreet scene

Confirmcorrect arrival

Understandnavigation info

Integrate area planning and layout

Protection along route

Sound and written info

Repeat soundand written info

Universal access to info-point

Universal understanding

Positioning &navigation aid

All languages

Personal assistance

Check -in or self handling

Safe storage and handling

Accessible vendingmachines

Virtual manned services

Multimodal interfaces

Standardinterface design

User profile special need

No physical obstacles

Self reliance in navigation

Universalentering

Short or alternatives

Universal walking path

Information access

Information integration

Information in general

Physical obstacles

Walking

Information and orientation

Safety

Departure information

Luggage handling

Ticketing

Physical design

Comfortable distances

ANNEX 2 - IDENTIFIED CHALLENGES

UNIACCESS

R&D roadmap – overview

Short term Medium term Long term

Access to entrance location

Confirmcorrect arrival

Locate correctentrance

Closing mechanismindependent of user

Able to transfer into vehicle

Confirm correct boarding

Time not discriminating factor

Able to transfer to ground level

Confirm correctdisembarking

Locate & operate emergency exit

Maintain safety in all situations

Self reliance in evacuation

Universal auxiliary means for emergency

Find availableseat or place

Find specific seat or place

Completely free placement

Locate & accessfacilities

Store luggage nearby seat

Safe storage

Locate and understand info

Locate & operateemergency exit

Maintain safety in all situations

Self reliance in evacuation

Fastening solutions

Universalemergency aids

Access to alarm

RouteCorrespondent

routesDelays Price/paying Assistance

Approachingpersonal destination

Next stop

Get

ting

into

/out

of t

rans

port

uni

tD

urin

g th

e jo

urne

y

Identify entrance

Boarding

Time

Disembarking

Safety

Seating and standing room

Accessibility

Storage system

Information

Safety solutions

Types of information

Short term Medium term Long term

Access to entrance location

Confirmcorrect arrival

Locate correctentrance

Closing mechanismindependent of user

Able to transfer into vehicle

Confirm correct boarding

Time not discriminating factor

Able to transfer to ground level

Confirm correctdisembarking

Locate & operate emergency exit

Maintain safety in all situations

Self reliance in evacuation

Universal auxiliary means for emergency

Find availableseat or place

Find specific seat or place

Completely free placement

Locate & accessfacilities

Store luggage nearby seat

Safe storage

Locate and understand info

Locate & operateemergency exit

Maintain safety in all situations

Self reliance in evacuation

Fastening solutions

Universalemergency aids

Access to alarm

RouteCorrespondent

routesDelays Price/paying Assistance

Approachingpersonal destination

Next stop

Get

ting

into

/out

of t

rans

port

uni

tD

urin

g th

e jo

urne

y

Identify entrance

Boarding

Time

Disembarking

Safety

Seating and standing room

Accessibility

Storage system

Information

Safety solutions

Types of information

UNIACCESS

Short term Medium term Long term

EU standards for accessible design

EU-wide guidance for accessible design

Laws in case of non-compliance

Guidance for good practice

Possibilities of bonus-malus scheme

Actions to promote accessibleTransport/ human diversity

Human diversity modulefor school curriculum

Legi

slat

ion,

sta

ndar

diza

tion,

pol

icy

and

soci

ety

Review of existing national legislation

“Transport for all” reference manual

Guidance for design

Equal opportunities throughout Europe

Single information source for equality information

Accessibility certification

Mainstreaming universal accessibility

Vehicle classification scheme

Driving Behavior

Education

Develop indicators

Define criteria, processand delivery

Europe-widenon-discrimination legislation

Recommendationbased on best practices

Create European-Level agency

Reduceillegal parking

Rise awareness of drivers

Demonstration programme for accessible transport system

Define vehicle accessibility criteria

Define vehicle classification criteria

Voluntary versus compulsory classifications

Establishclassification classes

R&D Roadmap overview

UNIACCESS

Collaborative processes

Our goal:

Establish a closer link between stakeholders and define a new improved collaborative innovation process.

How?• Examine current practice (how do designers, manufacturers, operators, authorities and end users currently interact).

• Identify good practice

• Prepare guidance for an enhanced ‘collaboration’

UNIACCESS

R&D project proposals

Our goal:

Define new project proposals that carry out the intentions of the roadmap of future R&D in the frame of the improved collaborative process previously defined

UNIACCESS

Dissemination & awareness raising

Quarterly newsletter

Workshop for local authorities: 20/21 March 06

Key issues: communication & political support

Adopting universal accessibility principles in public transport design and delivery

Training manual

Training session, 8 November 2006, Brussels

UNIACCESS Conference: 9 November 2006, Brussels“Towards universal accessibility in public transport”

UNIACCESS

For more information

Visit our Website

http://www.uniaccessproject.org

Contact project coordinator:

Sara Sillauren, Euve-Giat,

email: sillaurrens@euve.org

Subscribe to our electronic newsletter on:

http://www.uniaccessproject.org