Taking disability on board

Transport and mobility are essential elements allowing disabled people to fully participate in society. With an ageing population the number of disabled people will increase. Accessible transport is essential to allow access to employment, education and training. Accessible transport requires an awareness by manufacturers and designers. Accessibility must be included in Design for All approaches to transport. All elements of the travel chain should be accessible. This includes trip planning and ticket reservation or purchase. New transport legislation has been introduced in Europe to benefit disabled people. The European Disability Forum (EDF) has been active in improving transport for disabled people. Initiatives that the EDF has been involved in are described: adoption of the Bus and Coaches Directive (2201/85/EC) for accessible design of urban buses, the 2003 Access and Inclusion Award for Transport Services and Infrastructure competition, and the European Mobility Award. The use of public procurement legislation is important for ensuring accessible public transport. Recent EU directives will give local authorities the opportunities to include accessibility requirements in their calls for tender.