SPECIAL NEEDS: A FAIRER OPPORTUNITY FOR MOBILITY

This paper considers the progress being made in making public transport more accessible to the mobility-handicapped and assesses future prospects. Figures are given for the numbers of disabled in the population and the proportion able to use public transport. Initiatives introduced to help disabled people and modifications carried out to conventional services are outlined. Proposals to introduce low-floor buses in London and measures being taken by British Rail are described. The costs involved in running Mobility Bus services and research into the cross-sector benefits of increased accessibility are described. The relationship between distance to bus stop, waiting time and the number of people prepared to use the service is presented graphically. The problem of adapting minibuses and the development of the British 'Omni' bus are noted. For the covering abstract of the publication see IRRD 857363.