Travel behaviour and transportation needs of the disabled: case study of some categories of disability in Dublin, Ireland

Abstract

The arguments in defence of poor attention to those with disabilities in terms of offering equal opportunities to transportation options tend to centre on the high cost of provision or improvement in facilities. The paper examines the current quality of service on a variety of modes and mode ancillaries such as stations and stops as determined by individuals with disabilities. This is followed by an examination of the measures required by the disabled to improve the quality of service. The evaluations are done with 4 types of disability groups and although the samples of individuals involved are small, the findings are incisive and clear. The improvement measures discussed fall into two categories; those that are costly and those that are more to do with a little more consideration being given on the part of the transportation operator when locating, for example, timetables at a lower level at bus stops to facilitate wheel chair users or announcing stops as buses approach them. Low cost solutions it would seem, in a lot of cases, could be considered marginal changes to work practices or decision making but the impact they could have on quality of service indicators for the disabled, such as accessibility, would be considerable.