The practical applications of disability standards for accessible public transport

Up to a fifth of the Australian population are affected by some form of disability and many of these people may encounter limited access to the most common forms of public transport. The Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (DSAPT) specifies how the objects of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) are to be achieved in the provision of public transport services to enable public transport operators and providers to remove discrimination on the basis of disability from public transport services. Similar regulations are in place in the UK. The purpose of this paper is to investigate some of the practical issues surrounding the application of the relevant Accessibility legislation for public transport using case studies of bus and rail vehicle design and passenger information signage from both Australia and the UK. A number of important issues are highlighted with reference to the application of the accessibility standards. Practical limitations in implementing the standards in existing conveyances were evident. A further issue explored in this paper is the underlying lack of research into the actual needs and preferences of disabled people in relation to the use of public transport. For example, the lack of data as to the actual number of disabled people using trains and other forms of public transport, and the actual needs and desires of the disabled populations in regards to using public transport, raises questions regarding the validity and appropriateness of the DSAPT as it currently stands.