Travel Behaviour, Experiences and Aspirations of Disabled People

Clarissa Penfold, Nicky Cleghorn, Chris Creegan, Hayley Neil and Stephen Webster

October 2008

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for assistance from colleagues at NatCen, in particular Tracy Anderson, Martin Carmichael, Lindsey Dawson, Rachel Kinsella and Helen Ranns.

We would also like to thank Kylie Lovell and Jo Bacon at DfT for their helpful comments relating to the conduct and writing up of the research.

We are indebted to our research participants for giving up their time and sharing their experiences and aspirations relating to transport use and travel with us. We also extend our gratitude to staff at the disability organisations through which we recruited additional respondents.

Disclaimer

Although this report was commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT), the findings and recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the DfT. While the DfT has made every effort to ensure the information in this document is accurate, DfT does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of that information; and it cannot accept liability for any loss or damages of any kind resulting from reliance on the information or guidance this document contains.

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Executive summary

Chapter 1 (Introduction)

This report presents the findings of a qualitative study commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) exploring the travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people. The study involved qualitative in-depth interviews with a sample of 45 disabled people. In the UK, the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities. Estimates of the prevalence of disability are that around one-fifth of adults in Britain are disabled.

Evidence presented by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) indicates that disabled people experience considerable disadvantage in terms of transport and travel (DRC, 2003a; DRC, 2003b). Similarly, findings from the National Travel Survey (DfT, 2007) show that disabled people make fewer journeys, and are more reliant on public transport for making these journeys than the general population. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) requires that transport providers take ‘reasonable steps’ to make stations and the services they provide at stations, user-friendly to disabled people. Amendments to the Act in 2005 have meant that disabled people also have, for the first time, the right to be treated fairly and the right for reasonable adjustments onboard buses, coaches, trains and taxis.

Key policy initiatives also set out to address barriers to accessing transport for disabled people as a means to tackling social exclusion. This research is not attached to a single policy area or initiative. Rather, it provides an in-depth exploration of how barriers to travel and transport use operate in practice and what disabled people themselves think can make a difference. This will provide valuable evidence for the DfT and others engaged in putting legislative and policy commitments relating to disabled people into practice.

Chapter 2 (Travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people with physical impairments and chronic health conditions)

Participants with physical impairments and chronic health conditions tended to have access to a car, often as a driver. The car was the predominant mode of transport for a variety of purposes including: paid employment, voluntary work, education and training, social and leisure activities, caring and domestic responsibilities and healthcare. The car was described as important in maintaining mobility and independence for people in this group, and access to a car ensured they were able to get out and make both essential and non-essential journeys. Cars were valued by people in this group for providing greater freedom, flexibility and comfort when making journeys and enabling them to participate in social networks, employment and fulfil personal responsibilities. The Blue Badge, Motability and ‘ServiceCall’

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schemes were all important for disabled people in maximising their ability to use cars.

Using alternative modes of transport required overcoming barriers in relation to journey planning, physical access and facilities and the approach of transport staff. There was a lack of confidence about whether all aspects of a journey would be accessible and people in this group felt that more information relating to physical accessibility and the assistance they could expect from transport staff would be helpful in decision-making around using other forms of transport.

Chapter 3 (Travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people with sensory impairments)

The sample included people with visual and hearing impairments. They were travelling for work (paid and voluntary), education and training, social, domestic and leisure purposes. Being able to travel independently using public transport was particularly important for this group in helping them achieve social integration.

A number of factors could act as barriers or facilitators to transport use and travel for people with sensory impairments. These factors encompassed issues relating to physical access, information and communication, attitudes of transport staff, confidence and cost. Strategies for overcoming barriers included having and assistance dog, undertaking travel training and building up relationships with local transport staff. People in this group were positive about changes in design to stations, buses and trains, and the provision of accessible information. They felt that awareness training for transport staff was a key area in which their access to transport could be improved.

Chapter 4 (Travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people with mental health support needs)

People in this group tended not to be in employment, but were involved in voluntary work and education, and also travelled to meet their domestic and healthcare needs. They were reliant on public transport for making journeys. Key difficulties experienced by people in this group in relation to travel were confidence issues and affordability. Routine and planning were important in people’s confidence to travel. Similarly, choice of mode, having a travel companion, and the attitudes of transport staff could also assist people’s confidence, giving them a sense of safety and control when travelling. People with mental health support needs emphasised the importance of financial assistance and awareness raising among transport providers and other transport users in order to help them maintain their independence and ability to travel.

Chapter 5 (Travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people with learning disabilities)

People with learning disabilities included in this research tended to be living in supported accommodation. They were involved in a range of activities including supported employment, social and learning opportunities. They also participated in a

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range of leisure activities. Participants travelled on a daily basis to a variety of destinations. Journeys were made using several transport modes including: community transport, public transport, private car and taxis/minicabs. Four key enablers for travel were described by people with learning disabilities. These were: travel training; accessible transport information; a safe street environment and space on public transport; and, positive interactions with transport staff and other transport users.

Chapter 6 (Conclusions and policy implications)

The constellation of salient issues relating to access to transport, and the ways in which these issues were experienced and their often subtle implications, was slightly different for each group of disabled people included in this research. There was, however, also commonality across the groups in terms of key barriers and enablers which influenced disabled people’s transport use and travel horizons. Key barriers and enablers for disabled people’s transport use and travel identified through this research provide a useful set of access and equality considerations for policy makers, local transport planners and transport providers.

This research demonstrates that it is as a result of uncertainty or inaccessibility at any point of the journey, from the planning stage, through to the successful completion of a journey, that disabled people’s transport use and travel aspirations are constrained. The research has identified multiple barriers and corresponding enablers, as experienced or suggested by participants, for access to transport and travel for disabled people.

This research found that personal mobility options and transport choices were important for disabled people across different disability groups. Notably, the Motability scheme, the Blue Badge scheme, and financial assistance to use taxis or minicabs were important ways in which disabled people’s options for travel and transport use were maximised. An additional issue which could act as a barrier to independent travel (either by car or public transport) related to people’s personal mobility equipment and its usability when travelling.

Training of transport providers also emerged as a key enabler for disabled people in accessing, and having confidence in accessing, transport. The research found that transport staff did not always have adequate awareness to handle different types of disabilities with the necessary skills and sensitivity. People in this research particularly valued an approach which was proactive and personalised. It was important that transport staff asked the disabled person themselves whether they needed assistance, and if so, how that assistance could best be provided. There were numerous accounts of positive interactions with transport staff, where staff had been friendly, patient and helpful. It was these positive interactions which helped build up people’s confidence to travel, both in planning journeys, and also feeling that they would be able to complete a journey successfully even if things did not go according to plan.

Confidence and a lack of information were also key barriers to travel and transport use which emerged across the disability groups included in this research. Although the factors underpinning confidence and access to information were different for different groups, it was evident that training would enable disabled people across all groups to increase their confidence and ease of using public transport. Such training should encompass both confidence training (for example, coping strategies for

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dealing with uncertainty and the unexpected) and practical training (such as assistance with accessing information about local services and entitlements). Training should be widened beyond groups which have traditionally been the focus of travel training (for example, people with learning disabilities and visual impairments). In this research, disabled people with hearing impairments and mental health support needs also expressed that training of this nature would assist them in independent travel.

This research also found that physical access was affected by lack of accessible services, and accessibility relating to the street environment, at stations and stops (including facilities at stations, such as toilets), getting on and off transport and onboard transport. Local transport plans and accessibility planning are important in enhancing the mobility of disabled people through consideration of the ‘end-to-end’ journey, and access factors which facilitate travel for disabled people.

Policy and practice in relation to access to travel for disabled people need to take account of the many different ways in which access can be restricted. It is also important that disabled people can expect continuity of service from booking to boarding to disembarking, which ensures their needs are considered and met throughout the end-to-end travel and transport experience.

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Introduction

This report presents the findings of a qualitative study commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) exploring the travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people.1 The aim of the research is to provide an in-depth understanding of the role that transport plays in the everyday lives of disabled people, and the key barriers and enablers experienced in relation to accessing and using transport.

The key objectives of the research were to:

Describe disabled people’s current transport needs and behaviour(s).

Discuss disabled people’s experiences of using transport, now and in the past.

Explore the transport aspirations of disabled people.

Examine whether the DfT’s policies aimed at improving mobility and accessibility for disabled people are having an impact.

Consider how transport facilitates or restricts disabled people’s access to employment, key services and social networks.

This introduction presents the background to the research (section 1.1) and details of the research methodology (section 1.2). It also outlines the structure of the report (section 1.3).

Background

Prevalence of disability and transport difficulties faced by disabled people

In the UK, the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) defines a disabled person as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his or her ability to carry out normal day to day activities. Estimates of the prevalence of disability are that:

Approximately one-fifth (9.8 million, 22%) of adults in Britain are covered by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA).2

1 This report is one of a series of reports presenting findings from qualitative follow-up studies of National Travel Survey (NTS) participants. The National Travel Survey is a continuous survey, funded by DfT, which collects information on people’s travel patterns and behaviour. The qualitative follow-up studies are intended to contribute to informing DfT’s understanding of the travel and transport needs of different population sub groups. Previous qualitative follow-up studies in the series have explored the attitudes, needs and travel behaviours of older people, young adults, low income households, and teleworkers.

2 Family Resources Survey 2002/3, see www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/frs

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Around a fifth (6.9 million, 19%) of people of working age have a long-term disability.3

Evidence presented by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) 4 indicates that disabled people experience considerable disadvantage in terms of transport and travel (DRC, 2003a). For example:

Disabled people are unable to use 70 per cent of buses and 40 per cent of the rail network.

60 per cent of disabled people have no car in the household, compared with 27 per cent of the general population.

Almost half (49%) of disabled people are totally reliant on public transport.

Over half (56%) of disabled people said that they would like to go out more.

Disabled people are twice as likely to turn down a job due to travel difficulties.

More than half (52%) of disabled people expressed some difficulties in getting to all essential services such as GPs and hospitals.

Findings from the National Travel Survey (DfT, 2007), which asks whether respondents have any disability or other long-standing health problem that makes it difficult to go out on foot and/or use local buses, also show that:

Fourteen per cent of adults experience mobility difficulties (defined as having any disability or other long standing health problem that makes it difficult to go out on foot or use local buses).

Mobility difficulties are more common among older people.

An association between mobility difficulties and low household income is found across all age groups, with around quarter of adults in each of the two lowest income quintiles experiencing mobility difficulties.

Among people with mobility difficulties only one-third are current drivers.

Adults with mobility difficulties make a third fewer trips on average than those without. This difference is accounted for by much lower trip rates on foot, as a driver and by rail; people with mobility difficulties make more trips by local bus and taxi or minicab.

Common difficulties with using local bus services are: getting to the bus stop; getting on or off buses; standing waiting at the bus stop; and, getting to and from the seat.

People with mobility difficulties also cite identifying the destination, finding out timetable information and communicating with the driver/conductor as reasons for finding bus use difficult.

3 Labour Force Survey 2003, see www.statistics.gov.uk 4 The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) closed in September 2007. Its responsibility for helping secure civil rights for disabled people has transferred to the new Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

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DRC highlight a wide range of barriers preventing disabled people from making journeys (DRC, 2003b). These include:

Poor or inaccessible journey information.

A failure to join up legislation and a lack of awareness of rights and responsibilities on the part of both service providers and disabled people.

Lack of inclusive transport design and differential standards.

Poor service levels caused by a variety of factors such as awareness and attitudes of staff, policies and procedures and the structure and organisation of services.

Financial barriers caused by lower than average income levels, and hidden and, in some cases, higher costs.

Confidence barriers compounded by negative experiences and a reluctance to travel.

Legislative context

Legislation in relation to rights for disabled people has evolved significantly over the last 20 years. Of particular relevance to this study are obligations placed on transport service providers, transport operators and those with relevant planning duties such as local authorities. The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) of 1995 requires that transport providers take ‘reasonable steps’ to make stations and the services they provide at stations, user-friendly to disabled people. Up until December 2006 this excluded services provided on transport vehicles. However, amendments to the Act in 2005 have meant that disabled people have, for the first time, the right to be treated fairly and the right for reasonable adjustments onboard buses, coaches, trains and taxis. This closes what was seen by disability lobbyists as a major loophole in the law as previously, a disabled person could be refused entry onto a bus or train merely because of their disability.

The legislative context relevant to disabled people and transport will continue to develop over the next few years. In the UK, the Discrimination Law Review is set to lead to a Single Equality Act bringing together legal commitments and rights across the six equality strands. At a European level, there are legislative developments affecting the rights of disabled people in respect of air travel and other modes of transport. And in 2007 the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities was agreed by the UN General Assembly.

Policy context

A key strategic aim of transport policy is set out in the Future of Transport White Paper (DfT, 2004): to ensure that ‘transport works for everyone’. This involves enhancing access to transport for all, including the most disadvantaged, as a means of tackling social exclusion. Improving personal security, accessibility and affordability in relation to transport are all important factors in meeting this aim.

In addition, the government launched its Independent Living Strategy to promote independent living for disabled people in March 2008. The strategy is a cross-government initiative involving six departments, including the DfT, and aims to give

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disabled people more choice and control over the support they need and greater access to employment, transport and mobility, health and housing.

This research is not attached to a single policy area or initiative. Rather, it provides an in-depth exploration of how barriers to travel and transport use operate in practice and what disabled people themselves think can make a difference. This will provide valuable evidence for the DfT and others engaged in putting the legislative and policy commitments referred to above into practice. Previous research has provided evidence in relation to a broad range of related issues. See, for example, research commissioned by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee on disabled people’s attitudes to public transport (DPTAC, 2002) and community transport (DPTAC, 2004). This research study offers a new, comprehensive and in-depth exploration of disabled people’s attitudes, experiences and aspirations in relation to these issues at a crucial stage in the policy development cycle.

Methodology

The study involved qualitative in-depth interviews with a sample of 45 disabled people. The exploratory and responsive nature of qualitative research allowed the individual circumstances and experiences of people to be explored in depth, facilitating a detailed examination of individual travel needs and the impact of transport experiences on travel behaviour and aspirations.

Sampling

The purpose of qualitative research is to map the range of phenomena and processes (for example, attitudes, circumstances, decision-making processes and so on) found among the sample to provide an understanding of how different factors influence attitudes, choices and behaviours. Qualitative research provides rich descriptive data about behaviours, views or outcomes, shows the circumstances under which they arise, and highlights the factors that influence them.

While qualitative research cannot provide information relating to numerical prevalence, given rigorous purposive sampling, the mapping of phenomena and processes and the identification of factors underpinning attitudes, choices and behaviours can be generalised to the wider population of disabled people. This is because purposive sampling sets criteria and quotas to ensure diversity of coverage across certain key variables, enabling the elicitation and exploration of the views and experiences of as wide a range of people within the target population as possible.

For this study the primary sampling criterion was:

Type of disability: Quotas were set so that key types of primary disability were included in the sample. It was important to ensure that the research was inclusive of all the main categories of impairment, based on the most current and inclusive definition of disability (DDA, 2005). Categories selected for inclusion in this research were: physical impairments and chronic health conditions (for example, asthma, heart disease, cancer, HIV); sensory impairments (including visual and hearing difficulties); mental health support needs; and, learning disabilities.

Key secondary sampling criteria were also used in order to ensure diversity within each disability group or across the sample as a whole. These criteria were:

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Age: People were recruited in three age groups: 18 – 35 years; 36 - 55 years; and, 56 – 70 years.5

Gender: Across each of the disability groups, a balance of male and female participants was sought.

Household composition: Quotas were set to include people living in a variety of household composition types. These were: living alone; living with parent(s) or sibling(s); living with a partner and/or children; and, living with a carer or in residential community care or supported housing.

Economic activity: Quotas were set to include people in paid employment, and people who were unemployed or retired.

Access to car: Quotas were set to ensure people with and without access to a car were included.

Geographic area: Although quotas were not set, this criterion was closely monitored to ensure diverse sample coverage across locations with variable transport provision.

Recruitment

Recruitment for this study involved a two-stage process and people were recruited in two waves. A detailed breakdown of the achieved sample profile by key sampling criteria is provided in Table 1.1.

Recruitment of NTS participants

A first wave of participants was drawn from a sample frame of people who had recently taken part in the National Travel Survey (from January to April 2007) and who had given their consent to be re-contacted about participating in future research. The eligibility criterion for inclusion in the sample frame was that they indicated having a long standing health problem or disability that affected travelling.

A letter and information sheet were sent to potential participants, and these were followed-up with a telephone call to find out if they would be interested in being interviewed as part of the study. If they were, a short screening questionnaire was conducted to ensure they would fulfil the sample quota requirements (copies of the recruitment materials and screening instrument are provided in appendices A to C). A total of 25 people were recruited from the NTS. The majority (n=20) had mobility impairments and/or chronic health conditions and five had primary disabilities that fell into the other three groups.

Recruitment via disability organisations

A second wave of recruitment was required in order to achieve sample quotas across all disability groups. This involved recruitment via disability organisations. Relevant organisations were contacted and asked if they could pass on information about the research to service users. Organisations that were willing to assist the research team in this way were given specific demographic requirements (age group and sex) for

5 Disabled people aged 71 years and over were not included in this study to avoid overlap with the qualitative NTS follow-up study of older people (Knight et al., 2006).

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potential participants. Four organisations were involved in five different geographic areas and assisted NatCen in the recruitment of 20 additional participants.

Table 1.1: Sample profile (N=45)

Disability group (primary disability)

Sampling

Criteria

Phys impairment / chronic health

Sensory impairment

Mental health support needs

Learning disability

Quota set

Quota achieved

Age

18 – 35

36 – 55

56 – 70

Sex

Male

Female

Household composition

Lives alone

Lives with parent(s) / sibling

Lives with partner and/or children

Lives with carer / in residential community care / supported

4

5

11

8

12

4

3

12

1

3

2

2

3

4

2

3

2

-

2

4

3

5

4

5

4

-

-

2

6

1

5

4

1

1

-

7

10

10

10

15

15

5

5

5

5

11

17

17

21

24

12

11

14

8

13

14

setting

Economic activity

Employed (FT or PT)

Not in paid employment

Retired

Access to car

Access to car (driver)

Access to car in HH (non-driver)

No access to car

2

5

13

15

4

1

4

2

1

1

3

3

-

9

-

-

1

8

8*

1

-

-

8

1

10

10

5

10

10

10

14

17

14

16

16

13

Quota set 18 9 9 9

Quota achieved 20 (20 NTS) 7 (1 NTS) 9 (3 NTS) 9 (1 NTS)

45 (25 NTS)

*Supported employment

Data collection and analysis

A total of 44 qualitative in-depth interviews, each generally lasting between 60 and 90 minutes, were conducted with 45 people between October 2007 and February 2008. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim in preparation for analysis using ‘Framework’, qualitative data analysis software developed by NatCen. ‘Framework’ involves the systematic analysis of verbatim interview data within a thematic matrix. The key topics and issues emerging from the interviews were identified through familiarisation with interview transcripts as well as reference to the original objectives and the topic guide used to conduct the interviews (a copy of the topic guide is provided in Appendix D). A series of thematic ‘charts’ was then drawn up and data from each transcript were summarised under each topic. This then allowed for the detailed exploration of the ‘charted’ data, exploring the range of views and experiences in different themes and allowing comparison across cases and groups of cases.

Report structure

DfT’s evidence base review on mobility found that:

It is important to recognise that people with different types of disability (for example, mobility impairment, visual impairment) have different needs,” (Smith et al., 2006: 74)

Findings from this research also emphasise the importance of taking account of the differing needs of disabled people, as underpinned by the nature of their disability. Accordingly, the travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people, are discussed in relation to different types of disability in order to draw out the particular needs of each group.

Chapters 2 to 5 explore the experiences and needs of the key sample groups (grouped by type of primary disability) as follows:

Disabled people with physical impairments and chronic health conditions (Chapter 2)

Disabled people with sensory impairments (Chapter 3)

Disabled people with mental health support needs (Chapter 4)

Disabled people with learning disabilities (Chapter 5)

Each chapter provides a brief profile of participants and their travel behaviour. Next, their experiences of transport use are discussed, and the barriers and facilitators for using different modes of transport are considered. Finally, participants’ transport aspirations are presented including experiences of and views about policies aimed at improving mobility and accessibility for disabled people.

Finally, Chapter 6 draws together the common themes emerging across the different groups of disabled people, and considers the implications for policy.

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Travel Behaviour, Experiences And Aspirations Of Disabled People With Physical Impairments And Chronic Health Conditions

Profile and travel behaviour of people with physical impairments and chronic health conditions

The selected sample for this disability group included people with a diverse range of physical impairments and chronic health conditions6, which impacted on their mobility in varying ways. Some had been born with a disabling condition, while others had experienced later onset. People were in a variety of living circumstances including living on their own, with parents, or with partners and/or children. They tended not to be in paid employment and were more likely to have taken early retirement or be unavailable for work due to their physical health.

In terms of their travel behaviour, people across all age bands in this group had access to a car, usually as a driver, but sometimes as a member of a household with a car, and the car was the predominant mode of transport used to travel for a wide variety of purposes:

paid employment, voluntary work and education and training (e.g. customer services assistant, civil servant, voluntary work as a welfare officer, part-time college course);

social and leisure activities (e.g. attending church, painting, model-making or cookery classes, going to the pub, taking holidays both within the UK and abroad);

caring and domestic responsibilities (e.g. food shopping, paying bills, giving lifts to parents, siblings or children); and,

healthcare (e.g. collecting prescriptions, attending GP, hospital or physiotherapy appointments).

Transport experiences of people with physical impairments and chronic health conditions

Importance of the car for retained or regained independence

Car access was described as being ‘fundamental’ to maintaining mobility and independence by people with physical impairments and chronic health conditions. They felt that without having access to a car they would not be able to get out as often and would be ‘housebound’ for more of time, able only to make essential journeys. Concern was expressed that without access to a car they would be unable to work, access services, fulfil their caring responsibilities or become socially isolated, and their quality of life would deteriorate. One

6 The sample included people with the following physical impairments and chronic health conditions: arthritis; cancer; cerebral palsy; chronic respiratory disease; fibromyalgia; Guillain-Barre syndrome; hip dysplasia; morbid obesity; multiple sclerosis; paraplegia; Parkinson’s disease; polymyositis; quadriplegia; sciatica; and, spondylosis.

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participant who had taken early retirement explained that without her own car she would get depressed as having a car was a key means of maintaining her social networks now she was no longer working.

The ability to drive was considered a key feature of regained or retained independence. The case studies provided in this chapter illustrate the role of the car in regained and retained independence. For Daniel, driving an adapted car has given him back some of the freedom and independence he had before he became disabled, while Charlotte is able to retain her independence and fulfil her responsibilities as a full-time mother because of her car.

Cars were valued by people across this sample group for giving them greater freedom, independence, flexibility and comfort when travelling and planning journeys.

For people who used wheelchairs, using a car meant they could be more spontaneous when planning and making journeys. For example, they did not have to arrange assistance for boarding a train or plan their journey around accessible stations.

When people were experiencing ‘bad’ days, because of a worsening of symptoms, or an acute condition exacerbating the limitations already experienced because of their disability, having a car meant that trips could still be made. One participant explained how when she was very ill during chemotherapy she would not have been able to get anywhere were it not for the car. Travel by car offered the least tiring and most comfortable means of making a journey, especially since it was door-to-door. For example, journeys involving getting to a bus stop or train station on foot or by wheelchair might be impossible for participants. Waiting at bus stops and train stations, getting on or off buses and trains, and getting to a seat all acted as barriers for people to consider alternatives to using their car. Generally bus stops and train stations were considered too far away from participants’ homes and/or their usual destinations which acted as a deterrent to usage as people did not want to tire themselves out before even reaching their destination.

“Take your car away and you’re finished, aren’t you, because what can you do without a car, really... you can’t carry owt, you can’t go anywhere… It’s virtually...a no go area to walk above three strides.” (Male, 56-70 age group, chronic health condition)

Journeys where changes would be required on public transport, or where the journey would be significantly longer if made by public transport were also considered too physically demanding by participants. Cars were considered more comfortable to use as it was easier tailor the environment to minimise the impact of participants’ disabilities. For example, a participant with painful arthritis described how she liked to turn to heating to maximum in her car to alleviate her symptoms.

Although people explained that they considered the financial costs associated with their car use to be high, they considered car use to be essential for making door-to-door journeys and felt they had little choice about their expenditure on car use. People often expressed this very strongly, commenting that they would cut down on other expenses before getting rid of their car or reducing their car use. Financial support through the disability living allowance (DLA) was considered vital for participants’ ability to continue to use cars.

The Blue Badge, Motability and ‘ServiceCall’ schemes were particularly important for people in maximising access to employment, services and social networks through car use.

Blue Badge scheme

The Blue Badge scheme was particularly important for people with physical impairments and chronic health conditions in making door-to-door travel possible. People with Blue Badges spoke about the scheme extremely positively, commenting that it gave them back some of

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the freedom they had prior to becoming disabled and facilitated access to services in a way which gave them similar choices to non-disabled people. Having a Blue Badge made accessing services much easier. For example, being able to park directly outside supermarkets or on the high street made a considerable difference to the ease with which domestic tasks could be carried out.

The provision of well placed and adequate numbers of disabled parking spaces was key to participants’ ability to achieve safety and convenience in their car use. A number of issues relating to the effectiveness of the Blue Badge scheme were raised by participants. These included poor location design for disabled parking spaces and lack of enforcement. Inadequate access into shops or services from disabled parking areas could also act as barrier to successful door-to-door travel. A key issue for people was the lack of awareness among other road users regarding the importance of proper use of disabled spaces.

“There was the time when a flatbed lorry carrying scaffolding was parked in a disabled space, and I started to raise my voice, you know, just ‘cause there were a lot of pedestrians around, and a couple of other people were like, ‘Yeah, that’s wrong’. A policeman walked past and I said, ‘Excuse me officer, you don’t think...’, and he said, ‘Sorry mate, nothing I can do’, and he walked on. People were like, ‘That’s disgusting that a policeman can’t stop and say, get it shifted’...The bloke, he...got out of his [lorry] and went to the bank, he wasn’t bothered by it. [ ] I just think people aren’t, ‘cause they just think they’re going to be five minutes, you know? ...I don’t think my mum would ever park in a disabled space without me, and I know my friends certainly wouldn’t, because they know the difficulty and the frustration that I have, whereas some Joe Bloggs, you know, just nipping to the cash machine wouldn’t ever think twice.” (Male, 18-35 age group, physical impairment)

Where people did not have Blue Badges despite being eligible, it was sometimes because they were concerned about negative attitudes of the general population relating to misuse of disabled parking spaces. This view tended to be held among older people in the sample. In addition, some people felt there was a lack of information about eligibility for Blue Badges and had not received information at key points, for example through their GPs or hospital following an operation.

Motability scheme

Where people drove vehicles provided through the Motability scheme, they were particularly positive about the benefits of the scheme in enabling them to drive and afford to run a car. While there were some issues around provision of information, advice and guidance at assessment centres, problems finding local providers of adaptations, as well as a perceived lack of assistance or training when learning to use adapted vehicles, the Motability scheme was positively experienced.

‘ServiceCall’

Another useful aid for car drivers in the sample was ‘ServiceCall’. Many companies (including petrol stations, car parks, banks and supermarkets) and will provide attended service for people with limited mobility through the ‘ServiceCall’ system. It works via an infrared transmitter activated by the service users, and receiver fitted in service providers’ windows. However, people indicated that knowledge about ‘ServiceCall’ was limited, both among disabled people and among staff where the service is provided. One participant in this research described running a training session with staff at his local supermarket petrol station in order to raise awareness about how the facility should operate and how to provide attended service.

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Daniel is 38 years old and lives with his carer. Daniel is quadriplegic as a result of an injury sustained in his twenties doing sport at university. Daniel has completed a degree with the Open University and leads a busy life. He has to attend physiotherapy appointments three times a week, which helps him lead an active social life.

Daniel uses a powered wheelchair and drives an adapted car in which he makes most of his journeys. Daniel found out about car adaptations at the Motability show. He spent seven years deciding whether to join the Motability scheme, as he wanted to be confident that the adaptations provided through the scheme would meet his needs. Daniel’s car is the only way he can travel independently and his car affords him a level of independence and freedom which is rare in his post-injury life.

“When you have a disability, you have so many restrictions on what you can and cannot do. I jump in my car and say ‘Bye, I’m off’. It’s a freedom that’s just unbounded… And I don’t have to wait for anybody or look for anyone, [to] say ‘Can you give me a hand in this?’, I’m off! And that’s so good to feel that way, so wonderful!”

Daniel has recently used wheelchair accessible buses in his town and was surprised to find they were better than he was expecting. Daniel would like to make more use of the bus service in good weather as it would help him save on fuel costs for his car.

However, he is unsure whether he would be able to use the bus without his carer as he is concerned that he may have difficulty safely manoeuvring and securing his wheelchair on the bus without assistance.

Daniel is a keen skier and goes on regular skiing trips for disabled people abroad. He is often frustrated that despite giving the airline the required advance notice about his requirements, when he arrives at the airport he often has to explain his needs again in order to ensure he is able to take the flight. For example, it is essential that Daniel has sufficient leg room and that he and his carer are seated together. In the future, Daniel hopes that he will be able to be confident that his needs will be met in a more seamless way, from booking to boarding.

Using other modes of transport

People identified a number of key barriers in using public transport, private hire vehicles such as taxis and minicabs, and aeroplanes. These barriers were experienced in the context of the nature of their disability or health condition and were found at all stages and in all aspects of making a journey. Barriers related to three key aspects of making a journey:

planning;

physical access and facilities; and,

approach of transport staff.

Planning

Travelling by public transport, private hire vehicle, or by aeroplane all involved a considerable level of advance planning. It was not possible for people to make spontaneous decisions to travel because of the logistics involved in being able to board, disembark or transfer from transport when making a journey. Although it was appreciated that such

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advance planning was necessary, this could cause frustration, particularly when despite arranging for assistance in advance, transport staff were not ready when people arrived to travel (see case study: Daniel). The need for advance planning also contributed to reduced flexibility when making journeys.

“I can kind of understand why there are procedures in place [ ], that I have to ring up and book a specific train, and that’s so that they can make sure that there’s a ramp ready, but why should I have to? Nobody else has to book a train to say, I’m getting on the 10:30 to London, so why should I...spend the money on...a phone call to the train company to say, I’m going to be on this train, you know? [ ] And then there’s the, if you do book a train, there’s that lack of flexibility, you know, to be able to think, well, why should I go to London at nine o clock? I fancy a lie in; I’ll go at ten. But I can’t because I’ve not booked the ten o clock train; I’ve booked the nine o clock train, you know?” (Male, 18-35 age group, physical impairment)

Restrictions on concessionary travel passes meant additional planning, particularly for people living alone on a low income.

“I don’t think there is enough help for people that are on a low income and they need help with transport. Because like obviously for health reasons... For me to go to [local] hospital... They phoned through with an appointment for 9.30 in the morning so I had to phone them up. I said, ‘I’ve got a bus pass, can’t use my bus pass before 9 o’clock’... She said ‘Erm, you’ve got to see the specialist’. I said, ‘Yeah, but I can’t be there for that time and I can’t rely on me having the money to get a cab from here to [the hospital], it’s about £20, £25’. She said, ‘But you could do that and get the bus back’. I said, ‘No, you don’t understand... can we reschedule the time?" (Female, 56-70 age group, chronic health condition)

Physical access and facilities

Physical access issues, both at stations and stops and getting on and off transport acted as a powerful de-motivator among people to trying to use public transport. For example, some branch and mainline train stations were inaccessible for people because of a lack of escalators and/or lifts. A wheelchair user in the sample described having been carried across the tracks at a train station in order to access the right platform. The experience had been frightening and had left him reluctant to try travelling by train again.

People were not always confident that they would be able to travel alone on public transport because of needing assistance to board or get off transport, and get safely seated.

“I couldn’t [use the bus on my own]. I probably couldn’t, because the ramp that comes out is too steep.” (Male, 18-35 age group, physical impairment)

People were also concerned about the accessibility of facilities both at stations and on transport. Facilities which were identified as ‘accessible’ were not always accessible for disabled people travelling alone. This could mean that they would choose not to make a journey by public transport where they were unsure whether they would be able to use facilities. For example, one participant described that how a change in her medication had resulted in her needing to be able to quickly access toilet facilities. Where she had previously used a train to visit a relative, since the change in her medication she no longer felt able to make such long train journeys in case there were no toilet facilities available.

People explained that there was a general lack of accurate information regarding the accessibility of transport. For example, one participant had tried to find out whether he could travel by bus to work for part of the week, instead of using his car every day. However, although accessible buses were available in his local area, the bus company was

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unable to confirm whether they were used on the bus route he wanted to travel on and whether there were designated times for accessible buses.

Another important dimension of people’s ability to access transport and make smooth end-to-end journeys relates to their personal mobility equipment. For example, wheelchair users described how the weight and manoeuvrability of their wheelchair was a factor in how confident they felt about using transport and travelling independently, including by car. For example, wheelchair users in the sample explained that a heavy wheelchair could be difficult to turn easily, which was a concern when trying to get on and off public transport. In contrast, a wheelchair specifically adapted for the individual could make independent travel much easier (for example, lightweight so that it could easily be lifted across into the passenger seat of the car, or narrower than standard to fit into non-disabled toilet cubicles). However, state-of-the-art or handmade equipment was expensive and participants had to rely on charity fundraising events in order to afford it.

Approach of transport staff

A common experience was travel being made difficult because of the approach of transport staff. Problems arose because of a lack of awareness and understanding of the needs of individual disabled people. Ironically, changes in the law to prevent discrimination and improve accessibility appeared sometimes to have a negative impact for participants. This could happen when transport staff made assumptions about how best to assist disabled travellers to access transport.

“The law that…black cabs… have to be wheelchair accessible, it’s the biggest mistake anyone ever made! Because now every taxi driver thinks they know how to handle a disabled customer and they have no idea! Whereas if you get a guy in an ordinary car, I’ll just say okay, I’ll just jump in the front seat, fold my wheelchair up, put it in the boot. Let’s go. Whereas if I take one of the black cabs, they go ‘Oh, we have to get our ramps up’. And of course their ramps go up at ninety degrees and they’re trying to push you up, you’re falling out the back of your wheelchair. And then they get you in and like ‘Right, we have to clamp this bit that way and that bit’. And as soon as they clamp you down, they go ‘Right, fine, we’re off’. But as soon as they turn off and turn sideways, you go voom, voom, on the floor! And you think, ‘Could I just take an ordinary cab? [ ] Just sit in a seat and I’m quite happy’. Because there’s a taxi rank in the middle of town and as soon as I roll up they’ll go ‘Oh yes, you have to use [an accessible cab]’. Well it’s like ‘No, I’m quite happy in a car thank you’. ‘No, no, no, you must use the disabled one’. ‘I don’t want to, I’ll take the car!" (Male, 36-55 age group, physical impairment)

Despite the availability of ramps, or the ability to lower vehicles, people found that this was not universally offered by transport staff, sometimes leaving people feeling uncomfortable about requesting these services and having to struggle in order to access them. This could be more acute for people whose disability was not visually immediately obvious to others. There was also a lack of awareness about the difficulties experienced by disabled passengers when vehicles moved off before they were securely seated. This led to a lack of confidence among people about whether they could safely use public transport (see case study: Charlotte).

Transport aspirations of people with physical impairments and chronic health conditions

This chapter has discussed the factors underpinning access to travel and transport for disabled people in this sample group. Overall, people in this group tended to rely on cars to

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make most of their journeys and car use was extremely important for access to jobs, services and social networks for this group. Car use as a personal mobility option was enhanced through the Blue Badge, Motability and ‘ServiceCall’ schemes and people were keen to see further improvements to these, including:

better enforcement of disabled parking;

improved information, advice and guidance about driving adapted vehicles; and,

awareness raising for disabled people and service providers about the ‘ServiceCall’ scheme.

Although car use was seen as a vital component of people’s overall transport use, they were also keen to make more use of other forms of transport, especially public transport, not least as they were facing similar issues as the general population in terms of environmental concerns and the rising costs of running cars.

However, although improvements to public transport since the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act were welcomed, there was still a lack of confidence about whether all aspects of a journey would be accessible. Overall, people were concerned about physical access and facilities, the approach of transport staff, and issues to do with planning. For example, people felt that there was a lack of information about public transport including:

information relating to physical accessibility; and,

information about the assistance they could expect from transport staff in order to ensure their safety and security.

People felt that more information would help them make more informed choices about whether particular types of transport, or travel routes, would be suitable for them to use. In the absence of clear and comprehensive information people felt reluctant to try making journeys by public transport instead of always using their cars.

Charlotte is 24 years old and is married with a three year old son. She has aggressive rheumatoid arthritis and has had a hip replacement. Charlotte is not in employment and looks after her son full-time. Charlotte has to make sure that she does not tire herself out trying to do too much as this leads to her condition ‘flaring up’ and can leave her incapacitated.

Charlotte drives an automatic gear box car and uses her car to make most journeys. She finds her car convenient for taking her son to nursery, attending hospital appointments, undertaking domestic tasks and visiting nearby family friends. Charlotte loves the freedom and independence her car gives her. Charlotte is a Blue Badge holder and finds the scheme extremely helpful, enabling her to park close to places she needs or wants to go. She would like to see better enforcement of disabled parking spaces as they are so important in terms of her ability to access services and social networks.

“It really bugs me when people park in the spots [who] don’t have [Blue] Badges, because you think ‘You don’t know how difficult you’re making our lives’…it’s helped me out a lot definitely, I think it’s a brilliant idea for people like me who have got severe disabilities.”

Charlotte would like to use buses more, but her nearest bus stop is up a hill, which can feel ‘like Everest’. Her previous experiences of using the bus have not always

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been positive which has put her off. Charlotte has struggled getting on the bus with her son in his buggy and has felt uncomfortable explaining she is disabled and asking for assistance. This has meant bus drivers have not lowered the bus for her and no-one has offered her a seat so she has had to stand. Charlotte would like bus drivers and other passengers to have better awareness of different disabilities and the diversity of disabled people.

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Travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people with sensory impairments

Profile and travel behaviour of people with sensory impairments

The sample for this study included people with a range of sensory impairments, from partial hearing and/or sight loss to total hearing or sight loss. There was a mixture of household composition types among participants, including living alone, with other family members, with a partner, and with children. People were also engaged in a variety of main daytime activities including paid employment, voluntary work, and education and training.

People with sensory impairments were travelling on a daily basis. Journeys for work and education were predominantly made by public transport. Walking and occasional use of taxis and lifts were also important for making some domestic, social and leisure journeys. People experienced a particular range of challenges related to the nature of their disability when travelling and using transport. The ability to overcome these barriers had implications for their mobility and the accessibility of work, education, services and social networks.

People explained that being able to travel alone was key to their independence and social integration. Where people had to rely on a travel companion or lifts from family and friends in order to make a journey, this constrained their ability to live independently and access jobs, services and social networks.

Transport experiences of people with sensory impairments

Both positive and negative transport experiences were reported by participants. The research identified five key factors which could act as barriers or facilitators to transport use and travel for people with sensory impairments:

physical access;

information and communication;

attitudes of transport staff;

confidence; and,

cost.

These barriers and facilitators or enablers are discussed in turn below.

Physical access

The physical environment (including getting to and from transport, at bus stops and train stations, boarding and getting off transport , and onboard) could present multiple barriers to independent travel. Accessible routes to and from transport with safe road crossing points and well located disabled parking, good lay-out and lighting at stations and onboard transport, and high quality signage and aural information were all important in facilitating

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access for people with sensory impairments. For example, people explained that the design of some stations was in need of modernisation in order to improve access.

“You’ve got [ ] old-style TVs [ ] giving all the information, which is totally impractical for someone with visual impairment. You go to the ticket office, it’s a big thick piece of glass, which makes everybody sound like they’re talking with a sock in their mouth...so you barely understand that. [ ] The queuing areas are generally poorly laid out, so you don’t know where the start of the queue is, [the] lighting is all old and poor. There’s unnecessary clutter on the walls… it’s more visual confusion if you’ve got a visual impairment... And…that’s just going through [the train] station.” (Male, 18-35 age group, visual impairment)

Louise is 29 years old and was born with a congenital condition which caused hearing difficulties, sight problems and autism. Louise lives with her parents and claims incapacity benefit. Louise is very active and undertakes part-time voluntary work as well as attending evening courses in creative and therapeutic art. Louise is also a member of a social activity club.

Louise sometimes gets lifts from her parents, but mainly travels independently by bus. Louise periodically receives training in travelling safely to the places she visits regularly from a visual impairment rehabilitation officer provided through social services. Training involves practising travel routes, learning where it’s safe to cross roads, using pedestrian crossings, how best to see traffic and judge its speed, and learning a bus route.

It is important to Louise that she can travel independently, although she does sometimes have negative experiences when buses are late or crowded. Louise would like to be even more independent and use buses more, and in the evenings. She feels she could travel more if there was improved security on buses, increased coverage of her local area by bus routes, and more and better crossing points for pedestrians.

Information and communication

People with sensory impairments described how concerns about whether they would need to communicate with others while making a journey could cause considerable anxiety. People faced challenges relating to information and communication when using both public and private transport and felt less able to make journeys if they had a lack of information and were concerned about their ability to communicate.

“On a bus I get a bit worried, I’m not sure if, you know, ‘Am I going to need to communicate with somebody?” (Female, 36-55 age group, hearing impairment)

For visually impaired people large print maps or Braille information were not always easy to obtain and for hearing impaired people the format in which information was provided was not always accessible. For example, depending on their levels of literacy, British Sign Language users described sometimes finding it difficult to understand written English and translate written instructions.

Despite the range of challenges presented, a range of enablers were identified. These encompassed issues before the journey and the onboard experience. Problems with the accessibility of information could be overcome to some extent for both visually and hearing impaired people by the Internet and telephone talk or text information services (for example, to book tickets, obtain train times, access large print information or request

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breakdown recovery) and people were very positive about using such services. Mobile telephones appeared to be particularly important for people with sensory impairments, giving them confidence to travel in the knowledge that they would be able to deal with unexpected events (such as transport service disruption) by obtaining information or requesting assistance during a journey.

On-board visual and aural information provided on buses and trains was also highly valued by participants. For example, travel on buses could be difficult for visually impaired people when there were no announcements, particularly when traffic was busy making it easy to lose track of where they were. Conversely, on trains with no visual information, it was sometimes hard for deaf people to anticipate their stop, or obtain information regarding delays on the railway line.

Attitudes of transport staff

Participants’ concerns about the physical environment or information and communication (outlined in sections 1.2.1-2 above) could be alleviated by positive experiences of interactions with transport staff. Helpful interactions seemed to be especially beneficial in giving people the confidence to travel independently and make new journeys. Examples of positive interactions with transport staff were characterised by transport staff asking whether and, if so, what help might be needed by participants. Patience and a personalised approach were considered important in ensuring people’s specific needs were met. People particularly valued transport staff having, or making, time to consider their individual needs as a disabled person, and make suggestions offering a choice of modes, routes and cost which would be most accessible. Where the approach of transport staff was underpinned by an awareness of different types of disability and the implications for travel and transport use, coupled with a proactive style, people felt their needs had been successfully met.

“I had to book a ticket and I know there’s nobody [at my local train station] that uses sign language, so I wrote everything down before I arrived. [I] handed them the note with the details of my journey, and then they got a piece of paper and they wrote back to me, and I wrote back to them, we had a good conversation in note form. Nobody got frustrated, they didn’t say that they were in a rush or that they had to serve the queue, they were very, very good.” (Female, 36-55 age group, hearing impairment)

“[Recently] when I was going [on a longer train journey] the taxi driver had turned up late and… it made me miss the local train which in turn of course made me miss...[my connection with] the main[line] train, and the [staff] ….phoned through the various stations to rearrange people to meet me… to help me from one train to the other… and I thought that was excellent.” (Female, 56-70 age group, visual impairment)

However, people also reported numerous negative experiences involving transport staff. These related to a lack of awareness or understanding of the needs of disabled people. For example, visually impaired people explained that transport staff sometimes failed to consider how long they might need to transfer between platforms at a train station in order to make a connection, or did not allow them sufficient time to board and safely seat themselves on a bus before moving off. Where people’s disabilities were not visually obvious to transport staff, a lack of awareness or understanding could result in inappropriate behaviour, such as walking off or ‘waving away’ a deaf participant trying to obtain information, and shouting at a deaf participant to exit a carriage on a failed train. Such experiences led to reluctance to use public transport.

“[Transport staff are] not proactive, they don’t actually think, ‘Oh, guy with a guide cane, let’s go and ask if he needs help’, they assume, ‘Oh, if he needs help, he’ll come and find

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me’. How?... People have been working there too long with limited training [ ], and limited people skills, just counting the minutes down to go home. It’s very rare you actually find them quite switched on and wanting to help.” (Male, 18-35 age group, visual impairment)

“Usually at the airport it does seem to be very good, [staff are] always very clear, they make sure that we get the information, and they have the awareness. You know, they always make sure that we’re aware of what’s going on, they always tap us and let us know, direct us to what we need… I wish it was the same with the train station and the train staff… I feel [it] should be comparable… [Even] when it’s a big station, I’ve got a question mark over if there’s anyone that can help.” (Female, 56-70 age group, hearing impairment)

“It would be good if [transport staff] could have deaf awareness training just so that they’re aware of the issues of being deaf. They could just be a little bit more helpful, maybe just know one or two basic signs [such as] ‘How can I help you?’ And then, you know, link that with writing a note or something, just to make it a bit more welcoming and accessible.” (Female, 36-55 age group, hearing impairment)

Confidence

For people with sensory impairments, difficulties with the physical environment, information, communication and attitudes of transport staff (as discussed in sections 1.2.1-3 above) could result in considerable uncertainty about whether planning and making a successful journey was possible. People felt that it was common for people with sensory impairments to lack confidence to travel and use public transport. This lack of confidence associated with a consequent lack of experience acted as a powerful barrier to making new journeys. Where people had received some form of travel training this was positively valued (see case example: Louise) and an extension of travel training schemes to people with a range of sensory impairments was viewed by people as an important way of improving transport accessibility and enabling people to expand their transport horizons. People explained that transport staff awareness and attitudes were only one half of the story, and that people with sensory impairments needed to meet transport staff half-way, through being more confident and better able to request help and explain their needs.

“A lot of deaf people do lack confidence, and it’s because of the communication problem, that’s all... It’s [ ] how you approach someone and make yourself understood and understand them... If [tranposrt] staff have no confidence and aren’t going to try and communicate, the deaf people aren’t going to try. It’s harder for them to try. [But] it’s a bit of half of one and six of the other.” (Female, 36-55 age group, hearing impairment)

Cost

Concessionary travel passes were considered very useful by participants. However, for people on low incomes, travel passes which could not be used during peak travel times meant that journeys could only be made outside peak periods. This impacted on their ability to access employment and could mean not being able to start work until later in the day. Although the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was felt to be useful for helping to make travel affordable, people explained that they were financially constrained when considering when, how, or indeed whether to make a journey.

Richard is 23 years old. Richard has a hearing impairment and also suffers from severe sleep apnoea. Richard is employed part-time as a British Sign Language (BSL)

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tutor, and is in part-time education. Richard also helps run a BSL club for learners. Richard uses buses and trains to travel for work and education.

Since having a hearing dog Richard has been able to leave home and become more independent. For example, his dog helps him to get up on time in the mornings, and makes sure he is awake to get off at the right stop on the bus or train. Richard’s hearing dog has helped give him confidence to travel independently and Richard has also found that his dog acts as a helpful way of identifying him to transport staff as possibly needing assistance, for example when services are disrupted.

Richard sometimes experiences difficulty travelling because there isn’t always enough space for his dog, especially on coaches. There is also a lack of awareness of the role of hearing dogs, and Richard is occasionally challenged by bus drivers when trying to board with his dog. Richard also finds it hard to find a taxi which will take his dog.

Richard feels that space for assistance dogs is one of the biggest issues when travelling and believes that it isn’t fair to expect other passengers to have to share a space with a dog, and neither is it fair on his dog, which can end up being inadvertently kicked by other passengers when lying under the seat or table. Richard has recently read in a hearing dog newsletter that a rail company in another part of the country has designated seats for passengers with assistance dogs which have more leg room and would like to see solutions like this extended. Richard would also like transport staff to have a better awareness of the role of assistance dogs and assistance dog-friendly taxis to carry stickers.

Transport aspirations of disabled people with sensory impairments

People with sensory impairments had overcome multiple barriers to independent travel through various strategies. These included:

having an assistance dog;

undertaking travel training; and,

building up relationships with local transport staff.

Although people were positive about the impact of policies aimed at improving mobility and accessibility for disabled people, they also felt that accessibility issues had not always been adequately thought through in relation to sensory impairments. Positive views were expressed about changes in design to stations, buses and trains and the provision of information. Improved visual and aural signage and information were particularly valued. The main area in which people felt mobility and accessibility could be improved was through awareness training for transport staff. People were keen to see transport staff being more proactive and better able to communicate with people with sensory impairments and assist them in their transport use.

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Travel behaviour, experiences and aspirations of disabled people with mental health support needs

Profile and travel behaviour of people with mental health support needs

The sample for this study included people with a range of long-term mental health support needs. 7 Within this group, people either lived alone, or with a partner and/or children. None of the people were in paid employment although some were involved in part time voluntary work and/or education. Some people had caring responsibilities, including caring for disabled children.

People with mental health support needs were travelling to a range of destinations for a variety of purposes, including: voluntary work and education; domestic responsibilities; healthcare; and, social and leisure activities. None of the people drove their own car, although some had access to a car on an ad hoc basis driven by another family member. Public transport and walking were the main modes of transport. Taxis were also occasionally used but this was for specific purposes or linked to the time of travel. People also used hospital transport for travel to health appointments. For travel further afield for days out or for holidays, people travelled by train and exceptionally by car.

The decision not to drive varied across participants. For some, they were unable to drive because of their medical condition. In other cases, people had never driven and had always relied on public transport to make their journeys. Exceptionally, people expressed a desire to drive but were unable to because unemployment meant they were financially constrained.

People described experiencing fluctuations in the severity of their mental health support needs over time. During ‘bad’ periods, travel and making journeys could be particularly difficult. However, people explained that their ability to travel was extremely important for them in enabling access to services and social networks. The ability to travel for education, voluntary work and to support centres was perceived as vital to participants’ personal well-being. Taking part in work, education, social and leisure activities was described as therapeutic and important in giving participants’ a sense of meaning and achievement in their lives. Without access to services and networks people felt that their quality of life would diminish and their mental health would deteriorate.

7 The sample included people with the following mental health conditions: anger management issues; bipolar disorder; clinical depression; generalised anxiety disorder; personality disorder; post traumatic stress disorder; and, schizophrenia.

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“I would become so depressed [if I couldn’t travel]; oh it would be like being housebound or something. It would be like what would you do? What would you experience? Nothing. How can you get any excitement? How can you feel like you are here living, doing, being so young still? You wouldn’t be able to.” (Female, 18-35 age group, mental health support needs)

“I prefer to be out socialising or being places. I mean, if I’m sitting here and there’s nothing on the TV and there’s nothing doing and its maybe a miserable day or something, I get kind of low, you know. So getting out and about’s important to me.” (Male, 36-55 age group, mental health support needs)

Sandra is 30 years old. She has bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). In the past, she has also been treated for post traumatic stress disorder and has experienced episodes of psychosis. Over the past ten years Sandra has been admitted to hospital numerous times.

Sandra has not worked in the last seven years due to her illness. Her current daytime activities include attending social events twice a week organised through a mental health charity. Sandra enjoys drawing and singing at home, and also attends IT classes for adult learners and has started going swimming. Sandra feels that it is very important she is able to get out and undertake these activities because otherwise she would become housebound which would negatively impact on her confidence.

Sandra does not own a car and relies on the bus and London Underground for travel to her various activities. She prefers to travel by bus because the enclosed space on the Underground can trigger panic attacks. However, travel by bus is often difficult for her as she frequently experiences panic attacks. For this reason Sandra avoids travelling during rush hour and sometimes uses taxis depending on how she is feeling that day.

Sandra likes to plan her journeys as this makes her feel more confident about travelling. Sandra finds travel planning websites such as Transport for London very useful for planning journeys. In the future Sandra would like to build up her confidence enough to use the Underground more.

Transport experiences of people with mental health support needs

Confidence was a key factor in participants’ experiences of using transport. The research identified three key factors which underpinned participants’ levels of confidence to travel and make journeys. These factors were:

routine and planning;

safety and control; and,

affordability and finance.

Routine and planning

Routine and planning played a key role in enabling people with mental health support needs to travel. For example, familiarity with bus numbers, routes and times enabled people in this

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sample group to establish optimum times to travel, typically avoiding peak travel times, in order to make their journey as stress free as possible and to minimise the risk of disruption to established routines.

“[On the bus] I tend to get the same seat. I don’t think anyone likes sitting in that seat. It’s a single seat in a little box, and you kind of feel enclosed when you sit in it, so I’m lucky enough to seem to get that seat in the mornings… It just keeps [ ], it keeps me together like. No one is sitting beside you squeezing you up in the seat so I have a seat to myself.” (Female, 36-55 age group, mental health support needs)

Planning also played an important role in minimising anxiety around travel. Being unclear about journey length, the route and connections added to the anxiety of making a journey and using public transport. Planning was particularly important for new journeys being made, such as for leisure or social activities. For younger people, the Internet was described as an important tool in facilitating planning. This was especially important for longer journeys which may involve making changes. Travel planning websites such as Transport for London (TfL), National Rail Enquiries and The Train Line were considered particularly useful for planning journeys. The features people found most useful were: the ability to specify modal preference; searching for routes using postcodes or street names; and being able to view updates on planned engineering works or service route diversions.

Safety and control

While routine and planning also contributed to participants’ sense of safety and control when making a journey, people also described a range of other strategies or factors for safety and control which had a direct impact on their ability to travel. These included choices about mode of transport used, travelling with a companion, and attitudes of transport staff.

Choice of mode

When people were experiencing intense anxiety, using public transport could become more difficult or impossible. In order to continue to make journeys, people explained that taxis were often the only perceived option.

“In the past I have felt very vulnerable at, at, at some times on and off and not so much lately, I’m getting really good, but I couldn’t go out of my house before; I was in my house for six months, I was so ill… I was in fear; I couldn’t go out the door unless I had somebody with me…really, really a lot of fear but that was about four years ago and I was getting taxis all the time then and now I just get cabs now and again.” (Female, 56-70 age group, mental health support needs)

“When I see certain people, or a group of certain people, individuals, that remind me of certain things, then I might get [a] panicky feeling, I might probably get a cab if it’s coming back in the evening or if, [it] depends how I feel inside, you know.” (Female, 36-55 age group, mental health support needs)

In general, people found travelling in confined spaces or at busy times could exacerbate feelings of anxiety and panic. For this reason, certain modes of transport were avoided, even where these were faster or more convenient.

“For some reason it’s the Underground that is the monster. Sometimes I go on it and it’s fine, and other times it’s not good, so I go on the bus. But every time I go on the bus I know I’ve let myself down. I should be going on the Underground because it makes no sense to prolong the journey for half an hour… [On the bus] you can always concentrate on things outside, you have got views… On the Underground it is completely dark and you are

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just sitting there… If the panic starts to build up you can’t really get off it, you are sort of stuck in there.” (Female, 18-35 age group, mental health support needs)

Travel companion

Another important strategy for enhancing participants’ sense of safety and control was to travel with somebody else. Having a companion (for example, partner or friend) when making a journey was considered helpful in reducing people’s anxiety when travelling, especially when making new or longer journeys.

“I’ve done [that journey] on my own, but [now] I [meet] up with a friend and he lives in [my borough] as well and [when we] come back [ ] together [ ] at least I’ve got somebody to talk to…It’s sort of a friendly face, like it’s somebody who I know, I’m not sitting in [a]…carriage full of strangers... Not only a friendly face, but somebody there to…give [ ] back up sort of thing… Sometimes my sort of anxiety does tend to kick in a bit, you know… I feel a little bit agitated and confused and as I say, especially when it’s like a long journey.” (Male, 55-70 age group, mental health support needs)

“I have to have someone with me. I just couldn’t do it on my own, I wouldn’t have the confidence to go on my own.” (Female, 36-55 age group, mental health support needs)

Attitudes of transport staff

Participants’ sense of safety and control could be adversely affected by negative attitudes or lack of awareness of transport staff towards people with mental health support needs. People consistently mentioned negative experiences involving staff on public transport. These included bus drivers failing to accept concessionary travel passes and challenging individuals (see case study: Mark), and transport staff seeming rude and unhelpful when people were asking for information. People felt that the ‘hidden’ or less visible nature of mental health support needs contributed to a lack of understanding among transport staff about how their behaviour could help or damage disabled people’s confidence in travelling.

Mark is 48 years old. He has generalised anxiety disorder and also suffers from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). He lives alone and is currently unemployed. His mental health symptoms include claustrophobia, agoraphobia and insomnia. Mark’s health problems have spanned 30 years and he is currently attending counselling every six weeks. Mark’s main daytime activities include occasional voluntary work in the kitchen of a church drop-in centre and going to church. He has a number of interests and hobbies including walking, conservation, wildlife, Internet surfing, shopping, socialising with friends and going to the cinema. He feels it is essential he is able to get out of the house as if he is stuck inside, his mood is likely to deteriorate.

Mark does not have access to a car and relies on the bus and walking to get about. Occasionally he might get a lift from a friend to attend medical appointments. Mark does not feel confident about making new journeys by public transport. Mark feels reluctant to travel if his journey involves him making too many changes as he doesn’t feel confident enough about knowing where to go and what to do. Also, the absence of toilet facilities on buses can make him feel anxious when travelling for long periods due to his IBS.

Mark finds his concessionary travel pass extremely useful in allowing him to access transport cheaply. However, Mark has been challenged by bus drivers when boarding

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buses with his concessionary travel pass. These experiences affect his confidence and leave him feeling embarrassed. Mark feels that some transport staff are rude, unhelpful and lack consideration for disabled passengers. Mark would like to see a specific bus service for disabled people with staff on the service who have appropriate training to support the passengers.

Affordability and finance

A third aspect of people’s ability and confidence to make journeys was transport affordability. This was particularly acute for this sample group as their low incomes and employment status (i.e. not in paid employment) meant transport was the key means by which people were able to access voluntary work, education and social networks. Ensuring they had the financial means to be able to travel was considered as important to people as budgeting for other key household expenses.

“It’s very important that I have my fares… I’d say that is just as important as electric and gas to me, that is my tool. My tool, if I don’t have my fares, I can’t go to learn, I can’t, if I can’t learn, I can’t do what I’m doing with my, in my work…It’s your life, right, it’s so important.” (Female, 56-70 age group, mental health support needs)

Concessionary travel passes were important for people with mental health support needs in making travel affordable. Longer journeys, typically made by train, tended to require more consideration. For example, one participant described planning such a trip up to a month in advance in order to make sure they could afford it. People were restricted from making certain journeys because of cost. This related particularly to the use of taxis, which as noted above, could be an important alternative for making a journey when travelling by public transport would be difficult. Although people were aware of a range of local, community and national initiatives for subsidised transport use for disabled people they felt that such schemes were largely geared towards people with other disabilities.

Transport aspirations of people with mental health support needs

People with mental health support needs were likely to continue to use public transport on a regular basis, and they identified a range of ways they would like to see transport improved to improve their experience of travel. These included:

Service planning: It was suggested that transport providers could introduce a specific bus service for disabled people. This service would have staff who were trained to support disabled people. Other suggestions covered improved co-ordination between connecting services, more buses provided during rush hour to prevent overcrowding, improved punctuality of services and improved communication of travel information to passengers.

Accessible information: People wanted improved websites offering information and advice to travellers to promote confidence when planning journeys. Specifically, it was felt there should be more information and advice regarding travel available for individuals with mental health support needs.

Financial assistance: People wanted free national travel to be made available for all disabled people. People also wanted to receive financial assistance to enable them to travel by taxi where they felt it was necessary because of their mental health condition.

Wider awareness issues: People felt that staff on public transport should receive training to facilitate better awareness and understanding of the range of disabilities that exist,

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including mental health support needs. Education should also be extended to other transport users, for example, young people in schools.

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Travel Behaviour, Experiences And Aspirations Of People With Learning Disabilities

Profile and travel behaviour of people with learning disabilities

People in the sample with learning disabilities tended to be living in supported accommodation and were engaged in supported employment which could be paid or voluntary. Examples of supported employment included food preparation, gardening, and helping out at a children’s nursery. People regularly travelled to day centres to take part in social and learning activities. People also led active social lives and participated in a variety of leisure activities including swimming, rambling, and going to discos and parties.

People were travelling daily and to a variety of places over the course of the week. They used a combination of public, community and private transport and different transport modes in order to make these journeys. The ability to access and use multiple forms of transport seemed important in enabling these people to reach the wide range destinations that they needed to get to. Different transport used included:

Community transport buses

Day centre minibuses

Public transport (mainly buses but also trains)

Cars driven by support workers

Taxis/minicabs

Transport experiences of people with learning disabilities

There were four enablers which underpinned independent travel and transport use for people with learning disabilities. These were:

travel training;

accessible transport information;

a safe street environment and space on transport; and,

positive interactions with transport staff and other transport users.

Travel training

People in this group tended to have undertaken travel training. This included both being accompanied on and assisted in making new journeys in order to learn the route from end to end, including safe road crossing points, and bus stops, numbers and routes. As people became familiar with a new journey and had established a routine, both knowing their travel

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route and becoming familiar with bus drivers, other transport staff or fellow passengers, they felt safe and secure in making the journey independently.

In addition, people received training in ‘keeping safe’ while travelling, learning what to do in the event of something unexpected happening, whether as the result of the behaviour or unwanted attention of other passengers or pedestrians, or when services were disrupted. Where people had received such training, they were clear on what they should do in different circumstances, including telephoning their support worker or speaking to transport staff to ensure they reached their destination safely. Learning and utilising such strategies also gave people confidence and a sense of personal security when travelling on their own (see case study: Ruby).

Ruby is 26 years old and lives in supported accommodation with three other learning disabled people. Ruby is a part-time receptionist a community day centre and also participates in a wide range of social activities such as line dancing, bowling, going to the cinema and friends’ parties. Ruby has access to car travel via her support worker and parents. Her support worker drives her and her housemates to the supermarket once a week and her parents come to pick her up for visits to their and other family members’ homes. Ruby also uses a subsided taxi/minicab scheme to travel to and from friends’ houses for parties and get-togethers.

Ruby makes most of her journeys by bus and both a bus stop and train station are within easy walking distance from her house. Ruby is able to take public transport on her own, and enjoys being able to travel independently. At first she had felt nervous about using public transport by herself, but with training from her care manager she now feels confident in all aspects of the journeys she regularly makes, including getting to and from the bus stops she usually uses and crossing roads safely. Should anything unexpected happen when Ruby is making a journey, she is able to use her mobile telephone to ring her support worker to ask for assistance. On occasions this has involved her support worker coming to pick up her by car or speaking to transport staff to explain how they can help Ruby continue her journey or get home.

Overall, Ruby is quite confident using local buses and this confidence is aided by the fact that the bus stop is nearby and that she does not have to worry about money because she has a concessionary bus pass which she can use at any time of day. As part of her social care support, Ruby also has a named contact she can call to find about the best routes and transport services to use for new journeys she needs to make.

Overall, travel training was a key enabler for people with learning disabilities to make journeys independently. People expressed a strong sense of pride and self esteem in being able to travel on their own and travel training was an important tool in giving them the skills and confidence to do this. A common aspiration among people in this sample group was to be more independent, and the ability to travel independently was a key factor in achieving greater independence through accessing jobs, services and social and leisure activities. People also felt they could learn more from making journeys by themselves than they would if relying on support staff.

“Before I got the bus to anywhere I didn’t use to go anywhere so I just relied on the staff… I just wanted to do my own thing, because I want to go to [places] on my own… I’d like to

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be more independent because if you [only] go with staff then you won’t learn much.” (Female, 36-55 age group, learning disability)

Concessionary travel passes also appeared to be important in giving people the freedom to travel easily and spontaneously, adding to their sense of independence self esteem.

“I’ve been to loads of different places recently on this bus pass... I [ ] don’t plan it. I just go to places. I just go... I can travel at any time I want to.” (Male, 18-35 age group, learning disability)

Transport information

Being able to access clear, reliable, concise and straightforward information was very important for this group of people in order to plan and make journeys independently. People described accessing information using the Internet, telephone information services, and via named contacts through learning disability support organisations. People commented on having difficulty reading small print timetables and some found using the Internet more accessible for finding out information.

“You know on the timetable, I think the writing should be a bit clearer because they’re so small and [I] can’t read the numbers properly so I think they should be a bit bigger… On Google [Internet search engine]..., you put ‘[Local] Bus Company’ and then click on search and then click on that and then it will tell you all different timings and about the timetables... I found out about the times and that sort of thing... it’s quite simple because... the words were clearer and that sort of thing.” (Female, 36-55 age group, learning disability)

When making a journey it was important that information provided at bus stops or train stations was direct and to the point, whether given by public announcements or via posters or white boards. This was especially important if replacement or diverted services were in operation as changes in the routine nature of a journey could be particularly confusing or upsetting for people in this sample group.

Street and transport environment

The safety of the street environment, and feeling safe and having enough space when on transport were also key enablers for independent travel and transport use for people with learning disabilities. Bus stops were only accessible if there was a safe and easy to use crossing point so that people could independently make their way to and from the bus stop at both ends of a journey. In addition, if transport was overcrowded, meaning that people could not board a bus or train, or were unable to get a seat, this upset their routine and made travelling more difficult. Having a seat when travelling and not feeling confined or ‘crowded’ was important for people with learning disabilities. Travelling at peak times on overcrowded transport was experienced as unpleasant or threatening, whereas travelling when it was less busy and people could change seats if they wanted to made journeys much more enjoyable.

"[I] can’t be closed in, you know what I mean? On a bus. Phew, you know, can’t have it... All the kids getting on buses and all of that... It’s not so bad when they’re not, it’s when they all close in [ ], that annoys me... It’s just a lot of people around. [I prefer a] bit of space." (Male, 56-70 age group, learning disability)

“You can move up and down on a train. You can’t in a car. You can’t move, change seats in cars. You can in buses, and tubes. You can change seats on the train. That’s what I like about the train. You can do that on the train.” (Male, 18-35 age group, learning disability)

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Liam is 37 years old and has a learning disability. He left home seven years ago and is living on his own. Liam does voluntary work in a local hospice shop on two afternoons a week. He enjoys going to his local pub in the evenings a couple of times a week and is also a keen football fan, regularly going to watch matches. Liam makes many of his journeys on foot, including to the local shop, the pub and for his voluntary work. For these journeys he does not have to cross roads so feels safe and secure as he experiences problems hearing and judging when it is safe to cross the road, especially on busy roads.

Liam also regularly uses the local bus service to get to football matches and to visit his parents. Liam prefers to travel by bus in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon in order to avoid groups of school children travelling to and from school. His concerns about travelling on buses with school children arose from a negative experience he had when travelling with a friend who was accidentally knocked over by some school children as they were getting on the bus. Liam particularly enjoys the social aspect of travelling; either chatting with friends that he is travelling with, or if travelling alone, chatting with the transport staff or other passengers. In general he finds bus drivers polite and helpful but has found that when English is not their first language communication could be more difficult.

Liam goes on twice yearly holidays to the seaside and usually takes the train to get there. Liam uses the National Rail telephone enquiry service to access timetable and fare information. Liam prefers to speak to someone on the telephone rather than using the Internet.

“It’s because there’s a voice on the other end of the line, whereas if you were to use the Internet there’s not someone speaking to you… I think most people I’ve spoke to on the National Rail enquiry number are polite, whereas if you went on the internet you wouldn’t know if there was a scam.”

Liam is excited about the new national concessionary bus pass as it could make his trips to the seaside cheaper.

Interactions with transport staff and other transport users

A key feature of independent travel enjoyed by people with learning disabilities was the opportunity to interact with transport staff and other transport users. Positive experiences of interactions with others while making journeys seemed to be particularly important in sustaining participants’ enjoyment, confidence, and sense of security and safety when travelling independently. People explained that what they most enjoyed about travelling and using transport was interacting with others, and people commented positively on friendly transport staff and other transport users, especially when they would take time to chat with them. The approachability of transport staff was important, as was the ability of transport staff to communicate with people (see case study: Liam).

Transport aspirations of people with learning disabilities

People with learning disabilities were keen to continue making journeys independently in order to access employment, services, and social and leisure activities. Of key importance for this group were travel training and the provision of information to assist people in planning and making new journeys. Barriers to independent travel included getting to and

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from transport, and feeling comfortable onboard transport. Enabling factors included safe road crossing points, and positive interactions with transport staff and other transport users.

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Conclusions and policy implications

The preceding chapters have presented the travel behaviour, transport experiences and aspirations of different groups of disabled people. The findings provide an insight into the most salient issues relating to transport use and travel for each group. While the constellation of salient issues was slightly different for each group, as were the ways in which these issues were experienced and their often subtle implications, there was also commonality across the groups in terms of key barriers and enablers which influenced disabled people’s transport use and travel horizons. Overall, findings from this research support the findings of the Department for Transport’s evidence base review on mobility (Smith et al., 2006) which highlighted the importance of access to transport for disabled people in overcoming barriers to social inclusion:

“'Access' is a fundamental issue in realising disabled people's entitlement to achieve the same opportunities as non-disabled people, relating to both attitudinal and physical barriers. Clearly, access to transport and the accessibility of transport are key. However, people with disabilities are less likely to drive and more likely to be dependant on public or community transport, or lifts from family and friends. Public transport is often experienced as inaccessible. Disabled people's travel is limited both by a lack of accessible services, and by a lack of confidence that they will be able to complete journeys without encountering problems. This can be a barrier to social inclusion - making it difficult for people with disabilities to access education and employment, services and social networks.” (Smith et al., 2006: 62)

Key barriers and enablers for transport use and travel

Key barriers and enablers for disabled people’s transport use and travel identified through this research provide a useful set of access and equality considerations for policy makers, local transport planners and transport providers. This research has demonstrated that it is as a result of uncertainty or inaccessibility at any point of the journey, from the planning stage, through to the successful completion of a journey, that disabled people’s transport use and travel aspirations are constrained. For example:

For people with physical, sensory and learning disabilities, the route to transport needs to be safe with easy to use and well designed road crossing in order for them to independently access transport.

For a wheelchair user, their wheelchair needs to be light and manoeuvrable in order to facilitate independent boarding of both public and private transport (including personal cars).

For deaf people, improved awareness and attitudes of transport staff are important in ensuring they can successfully use public transport.

The research has identified multiple barriers and corresponding enablers, as experienced or suggested by participants, for access to transport and travel for disabled people. These barriers and enablers are summarised below under the following headings:

journey planning;

accessibility;

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awareness and attitudes of transport staff; and,

role of virtual mobility and accessibility.

Journey planning barriers

Box 6.1 below provides examples of barriers experienced by disabled people in relation to planning journeys. Alongside each barrier, a corresponding enabler, as experienced or suggested by participants in this research, is presented. Key issues relate to disabled people’s ability to be spontaneous and flexible in their travel planning, the provision of accessible information, and their confidence in making journeys.

Box 6.1: Barriers to flexibility and spontaneity in travel planning and corresponding enablers

Barriers

Corresponding enablers

(experienced / suggested)

Disabled people may have to consider the logistics of physical access prior to travel and arrange for assistance or adapt plans as necessary

- Ability and flexibility of transport staff to rearrange assistance when a disabled person’s travel plan changes due to unforeseen circumstances

Disabled people can be restricted by cost in choice of travel mode (for example, on days when feeling unable to travel by public transport)

- Extension of eligibility for subsidised taxi/minicab travel and/or confidence training in using public transport

Disabled people may need travel training before making a new journey

- Access to a trained contact who is able to assist disabled people in planning and making new journeys which will successfully meet their needs

Disabled people can experience reduced flexibility in attending work/healthcare appointments etc. because of restrictions on concessionary travel passes (e.g. cannot be used before 9 am)

- Extension of concessionary travel to include peak times to give disabled people greater flexibility in their travel planning

Difficulties accessing services because of lack of disabled parking spaces

- Enforcement of disabled parking schemes and improved location design for disabled parking

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Difficulties accessing services because of reluctance to use disabled parking schemes (e.g. due to negative public perceptions of people ‘misusing’ disabled parking)

- Strategies to overcome reluctance to apply among eligible groups (e.g. older people with chronic health conditions) and education for wider public on importance of disabled parking schemes for wide range of disabilities

Disabled people experience a lack of information regarding accessible transport including frequency of accessible buses on routes, and what they can expect in terms of assistance from transport staff

- Better publicising of accessible services and information about how disabled people’s needs are met

Disabled people need information to be provided in accessible formats

- Easy to obtain large print maps, concise and straightforward written information provided in a variety of formats (e.g. Braille), clear and reliable Internet and telephone (talk and text) information services

Disabled people need adequate

real-time information both on-board transport and at stations

- Wider provision of both aural and visual information to give disabled passengers greater confidence using transport, particularly when services are delayed, diverted or disrupted

Lack of confidence to make journeys independently

- Extension of travel training schemes to all disabled groups, encompassing both confidence training and information about local services and entitlements

Accessibility barriers

Box 6.2 below provides examples of barriers to the physical accessibility of transport. As for the journey planning barriers presented above, alongside each access barrier, a corresponding enabler, as experienced or suggested by participants in this research, is presented. Key issues relate to getting to transport, accessible facilities, and boarding transport.

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Box 6.2: Barriers to the physical accessibility of transport and

corresponding enablers

Barriers

Corresponding enablers

(experienced / suggested)

Problems in navigating the street environment because of poor location or design of crossings, or lack of tactile pavements

- Improved consideration by those with relevant planning duties, such as local authorities, of the needs of disabled people (including people with learning disabilities) in local street design to improve access to and from transport

Lack of accessible facilities at stations and onboard transport

- Improved consideration by transport service providers and transport operators of the accessibility of facilities including ticket offices and toilet facilities, including consideration of lighting and lay out

Problems with boarding, disembarking and getting seated safely and securely

- Improved awareness among transport staff (including on trains, buses and taxis) of disabled people’s needs in relation to boarding and getting off transport and getting safely and securely seated

Difficulties travelling at peak times or on overcrowded transport

- Improved awareness and understanding among transport staff and other transport users of the additional challenges disabled people may face when travelling at peak times or on overcrowded transport and factors which could alleviate these (for example, giving up seats for people with learning disabilities).

Problems using concessionary passes for younger disabled people and people with less ‘visible’ disabilities

- Increased awareness and understanding of the range of disabilities which affect people’s transport use and mean they are eligible for concessionary travel, including less ‘visible’ disabilities

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such as mental health conditions

Difficulties accessing transport with assistance dogs

- Better awareness among transport staff of the role of assistance dogs, designated space for assistance dogs on transport, stickers for ‘assistance-dog friendly’ taxis

Awareness and attitudes of transport staff

As many of the examples of enablers for journey planning and the accessibility of transport provided above demonstrate, the approach of transport staff is key in minimising or overcoming barriers. Good awareness and positive attitudes of transport staff are critical to disabled people’s ability to access transport and their confidence to travel.

People in this research particularly valued an approach which was proactive and personalised. It was important that transport staff asked the disabled person themselves whether they needed assistance, and if so, how that assistance could best be provided. There were numerous accounts of positive interactions with transport staff, where staff had been friendly, patient and helpful. It was these positive interactions which helped build up people’s confidence to travel, both in planning journeys, and also feeling that they would be able to complete a journey successfully even if things did not go according to plan.

Overall, disabled people felt they could realise their transport aspirations more effectively if transport staff had better training and awareness of disabled people’s needs, including an appreciation of the different needs of people with different types of disability. For example, this research identified difficulties experienced by disabled people because their disability was ‘hidden’ or less visible or obvious, for example because of their age or the type of condition. Young people with chronic or mental health conditions and people with hearing impairments included in this research often mentioned receiving a less adequate service for meeting their needs because transport staff were not aware of, or lacked understanding about, the nature of their disability.

Role of virtual mobility and accessibility

The role of the Internet was important as a facilitator for travel and transport use, and was used by participants across the sample for obtaining travel information (including finding out whether transport and facilities were accessible) and booking tickets. Participants also used the Internet for a variety of other purposes and activities, including paying bills, accessing home shopping services, health information, and social networking.

It was clear, however, that despite experiencing barriers to transport and travel, disabled people interviewed for this research did not perceive the Internet as a tool which could, or indeed should, act as a substitute for physical mobility. Rather, it tended to be viewed as providing either a temporary solution to reduced mobility, or as supplementary to physical access. For example, participants described sometimes doing their food shopping online when unwell or experiencing increased severity of symptoms associated with their disability. The Internet also made social interaction easier for participants where spontaneous travel was difficult because of their disability. Participants emphasised that while physical mobility could be physically and mentally demanding, it offered key advantages over virtual mobility

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and virtual access. Not least among these advantages was the importance for disabled people of face-to-face social interaction associated with travelling to and using key services.

Policy implications

Findings from this research have cross-cutting implications for current policy strategies and specific policy initiatives. Of particular relevance are the Independent Living Strategy, the Blue Badge scheme review, and revisions to the codes of practice for train and station design and air travel for disabled people.

Independent Living Strategy

The government launched its Independent Living Strategy in March 2008. The strategy is a cross-government initiative involving six departments. Its aim is to promote independent living for disabled people through giving disabled people more choice and control over the support they need and greater access to employment, transport and mobility, health and housing.

The strategy outlines key areas of commitment through which access to transport and mobility can be improved for disabled people. These are:

Evidence-based strategies for enhancing personal mobility options and transport choices for disabled people.

Training of transport providers.

Information and confidence training for disabled people.

Local transport plans and accessibility planning.

This research provides evidence for the critical importance of these key areas of commitment in helping disabled people access transport in order to enhance their ability to live independently. For example, this research found that personal mobility options and transport choices were important for disabled people across different disability groups. Notably, the Motability scheme, the Blue Badge scheme, and financial assistance to use taxis or minicabs were important ways in which disabled people’s options for travel and transport use were maximised. An additional issue which could act as a barrier to independent travel (either by car or public transport) related to people’s personal mobility equipment and its usability when travelling.

Training of transport providers also emerged as a key enabler for disabled people in accessing, and having confidence in accessing, transport (see section 6.1.3 above). The research found that transport staff did not always have adequate awareness to handle different types of disabilities with the necessary skills and sensitivity. An example of promising practice in this area is partnership working between a Mental Health NHS Trust and a transport provider to produce a mental health awareness training film for bus drivers and transport staff.8 The project involved a series of transport roadshows, and for the film, preparatory workshops with service users, some of who were also directly involved in the

8 The partnership involved Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Trust’s Social Inclusion team, West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority (Centro) and Travel West Midlands (now National Express West Midlands).

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filming.9 Initiatives like these would seem to be particularly useful due to their local focus and engagement of stakeholders, including both transport providers and disabled people.

Confidence and a lack of information were also key barriers to travel and transport use which emerged across the disability groups included in this research. Although the factors underpinning confidence and access to information were different for different groups, it was evident that training would enable disabled people across all groups to increase their confidence and ease of using public transport. Such training should encompass both confidence training (for example, coping strategies for dealing with uncertainty and the unexpected) and practical training (such as assistance with accessing information about local services and entitlements). Training should be widened beyond groups which have traditionally been the focus of travel training (for example, people with learning disabilities and visual impairments). In this research, disabled people with hearing impairments and mental health support needs also expressed that training of this nature would assist them in independent travel.

Finally, this research also found that physical access was affected by lack of accessible services, and accessibility relating to the street environment, at stations and stops (including facilities at stations, such as toilets), getting on and off transport and onboard transport. Local transport plans and accessibility planning are important in enhancing the mobility of disabled people through consideration of the ‘end-to-end’ journey, and access factors which facilitate travel for disabled people.

Specific initiatives

Blue Badge Scheme Review

As outlined in section 6.1 above, disabled car users experienced difficulties in accessing services because of lack of disabled parking spaces. In addition, there was a reluctance to use disabled parking schemes. This reluctance appeared to be related to the negative image of disabled parking being ‘misused’ by people who do not need it. This meant that some disabled people were concerned about other people’s attitudes towards them if they were to use disabled parking. These negative perceptions could be overcome through better enforcement of disabled parking, coupled with strategies to overcome reluctance to apply among eligible groups (for example, older people with chronic health conditions) and education for the wider public on importance of disabled parking schemes for a wide range of disabilities. There appears to be need for information about disabled parking to be passed on at key points (such as following an operation) in order to ensure the scheme is accessible to all disabled people who are entitled to use it.

Consultations on revision of codes of practice10

As discussed above, this research points to a need to consider the ways in which access to transport for disabled people can be affected at any point in a journey, at the planning stage, through to its completion. Barriers to access might occur as a result of:

9 For further information about the project see: http://www.bsmht.nhs.uk/usersandcarers/socialinclusion/publictransport.htm

10 ‘Train and Station Standards for Disabled People: A Code of Practice’ and ‘Access to Air

Travel for Disabled Persons – Code of Practice’

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inadequacy of equipment and other disability aids;

lack of accessible information;

physical access issues; and,

attitudes of transport staff.

Revisions to codes of practice in relation to access to travel for disabled people need to take account of the many different ways in which access can be restricted. It is also important that disabled people can expect continuity of service from booking to boarding to disembarking, which ensures their needs are considered and met throughout the end-to-end travel and transport experience. Again, the awareness and attitudes of transport staff are key in achieving this.

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References

Access to Air Travel for Disabled People – Code of Practice www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/aviationshipping/accesstoairtravelfordisabled5975

DfT (2004) The Future of Transport – White Paper CM 6234 http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/whitepapers/fot/thefutureoftransportwhitepap5710

DfT (2007) Health related-difficulties Personal Travel Factsheet – January

2007 www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/personal/factsheets/healthrelatedfactsheet.pdf

DPTAC (2002) Attitudes of disabled people to public transport: Research Study www.dptac.gov.uk

DPTAC (2004) Attitudes of disabled people to community transport: Research Study www.dptac.gov.uk

DRC (2003a) Disability Rights Commission Policy Statement on Transport and Travel

www.drc-gb.org

DRC (2003b) Disability Rights Commission response to the Cabinet Office Consultation on Transport and Social Exclusion

www.drc-gb.org

Office for Disability Issues (2008) Independent Living Strategy www.officefordisability.gov.uk/working/independentlivingstrategy.asp

Knight T, Dixon J, Warrener M and Webster S (2006) Understanding the Travel Aspirations, Needs and Behaviour of People in Later Life (Department for Transport)

Smith, N., Beckhelling, J., Ivaldi, A., Kellard, K., Sandu, A., and Tarrant, C. (2006) Evidence base review on mobility: Choices and barriers for different social groups www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/scienceresearch/social/evidence_base_review_on_mobility

Train and Station Standards for Disabled People: A Code of Practice www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/rail/railstations/codeofpractice

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