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CHAPTER EIGHT: CONCLUSIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
8.1 This chapter sets out the conclusions and recommendations of this study.
Context
8.2 Prior to undertaking any journey, people with disabilities need to be assured that they will be able to complete the journey without encountering any insurmountable barriers to their progress. This means that they require advance information about the level of assistance they are likely to get and the general accessibility of the vehicles and public transport stops they will need to use.
8.3 The features disabled people need information about prior to travelling will vary according to the size of the public transport infrastructure being used and individual disability. However, discussions with key disability organisations and a review of previous research identified a list of some of the most important pre-journey information, including the availability of staff assistance, the presence and type of shelter, audio and visual announcements and information about the physical accessibility of the stop or vehicle.
8.4 This list has been used as a starting point for identifying improvements to the current level of detail provided to disabled users by national journey planning services.
8.5 The features included on the list refer to two types of data -vehicle data and public transport stop data. The owners of this data were contacted during this study and an initial assessment has been made on how readily available the data is for use by journey planning services. The following paragraphs summarise our findings.
Vehicle data
Accessibility of public transport vehicles
8.6 The accessibility of vehicles used for public transport journeys in Scotland varies by mode of transport. For example, with the use of a ramp, all train units in Scotland are regarded as accessible to disabled people.
8.7 For buses, the physical accessibility of bus vehicles depends primarily on whether or not the vehicle is low floor and supporting kerb infrastructure is in place. Whilst all new buses tend to be low floor, large percentages of the fleets in Scotland are not low floor and there is a real possibility that a disabled passenger, particularly a wheelchair user, would have difficulty accessing a bus.
8.8 Ferry vessels in Scotland vary greatly in their size and age and this impacts on how accessible they are to disabled passengers. However, of the 12 ferry companies who responded to the consultation (which includes all the main internal ferry operators in Scotland) only four had vessels which were not accessible to wheelchair users. This is equivalent to approximately one fifth of the vessels covered by the consultation.
Availability of Data on Vehicle Accessibility
8.9 For rail travel, it is advisable to give the train operating company advance notice of the need for a ramp to be used. Information on on-board facilities and the train units used on different routes (First ScotRail website) is already provided by National Rail Enquiries, First ScotRail, Transport Direct and Traveline Scotland.
8.10 For bus accessibility, it is recommended that journey planning services focus on promoting the dedicated low floor bus routes. This research found that there are a large number of dedicated low floor bus routes already in operation in Scotland, but very few of them are marketed as such on timetable information.
8.11 It is suggested that the most appropriate contact for up to date information on any low floor bus routes is the operator, as this research found that some Local Authorities were unaware of whether dedicated low floor routes existed in their area.
8.12 If note is made of dedicated low floor bus routes by journey planning services, then it will be important to include information on what is known (or not known) about any supporting bus stop infrastructure. This will be facilitated by an accessibility audit of those bus stops where little information currently exists. Existing bus stop databases containing accessibility information should be made available to the data aggregator as soon as possible.
8.13 The relatively small number of ferry vessels in operation in Scotland means that it should be quite simple to centralise information on the accessibility of ferry vessels. At present, the level of advance accessibility information provided on ferries is quite limited.
8.14 It is recommended that TransXChange is used to hold additional vehicle information. This database is preferred because it already contains vehicle data, so fields relating to the accessibility attributes of vehicles calling at NaPTANID stops/routes could be added relatively easily.
Public transport stop data
Accessibility of public transport stops
8.15 This research has found that the accessibility of public transport stops varies by mode of transport and size of stop. In most cases, large stops such as passenger interchanges are widely accessible. Smaller stops, such as bus stops, vary in their accessibility level.
Availability of Data on Stop Accessibility
8.16 For major public transport stops, such as rail and bus interchanges and ferry terminal buildings, information on the features present is readily available from the data owners, although it may not currently be in an electronic format.
8.17 However, for minor public transport stops, such as bus stops, train halts and ferry slipways, the level of information collected on the features present varies widely depending on the mode and the data owner. The paragraphs below summarise the availability of stop data by mode of transport.
Rail
8.18 The collection of station accessibility information, whilst potentially costly, is relatively easy, due to the need to get permission from only one data owner - First ScotRail.
8.19 First ScotRail has recently carried out a station audit across Scotland which included photographing station infrastructure.
8.20 The National Rail Enquiries website contains a station information page which lists most of the features present at a given station. Transport Direct also provides a link to the station information page.
8.21 It is recommended that this station information page is the most effective way of providing advance information on rail station accessibility. However, the Scottish Executive should write to ATOC and ask that if and when this page is reviewed, consideration is given to the addition of data fields relating to shelter presence and shelter type at stations.
Bus
8.22 Bus stop accessibility information held on database varies by Local Authority. However, all SPT authorities have a bus stop database and the majority of the non SPT authorities who responded to the consultation either had or were in the process of compiling an electronic list of features at each of their bus stops. However, very little accessibility data is currently being collected. Most Authorities were recording the minimum information relating to stop location and presence of bus shelter. Few were noting the presence of seating or dropped / raised kerbs.
8.23 It is recommended that Local Authorities continue to use their existing methods to collect and store bus stop data, but that a standard list of essential features is sent out to all Local Authorities with a request that where necessary, fields not currently reported on are included in their lists and information is input when bus stops are audited.
8.24 In the meantime, it is recommended that existing local authority electronic bus stop lists are sent monthly to a data aggregator who could then provide this information to journey planning services.
8.25 The small number of bus stations in Scotland means that accessibility information for all of Scotland's bus stations is readily available from Local Authorities. Most Local Authorities only have one bus station within their local authority area and so it would be a simple process to provide a list of features to a data aggregator.
8.26 It is recommended that a data aggregator draws up a list of bus station accessibility features (perhaps using the relevant section of the National Rail Enquiries station information page as a template) and sends this to each Local Authority contact for completion. A bus station information database could then be created and provided to the relevant journey planning services as a 'quick win'.
Ferry
8.27 The majority of small ferry operators in Scotland sail from ferry slipways and docks without passenger buildings. The majority of ferry terminal buildings are used by the operator CalMac and a list of key features for each terminal already exists. Whilst CalMac's list of key features is relatively comprehensive, it could be expanded to include additional accessibility features and it is recommended that this is done.
8.28 For non-CalMac operated terminal buildings it is recommended that the data aggregator draws up a template ferry checklist for completion by each terminal owner / manager. The data aggregator should then check the accuracy of this data with the relevant contact on a quarterly basis. The accessibility information should be stored on NaPTAN. This could be a second 'quick win'.
Air
8.29 This study did not have time to fully investigate the availability of pre-travel information for airports and aeroplanes. However, it was noted that the BAA owned Scottish airports (Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen) were fitted with very modern accessibility features such as help points, induction loops, low level information monitors, glare free surfaces (where possible) audio and visual announcements, staff assistance, wheelchair loan and dedicated parking spaces again with staff assistance if required.
8.30 The majority of these features are currently advertised on the www.baa.co.uk website so the accessibility data is clearly collected and already available.
8.31 It is therefore recommended that a website link is established between the BAA airport information page and Transport Direct. In addition, the data could be provided direct to a data aggregator and the information stored in NaPTAN against the airport NaPTANID.
Short Term Priorities
8.32 A number of short term improvements could be made to Traveline which would better meet the travel information needs of disabled people. These 'quick wins' should be prioritised for action. Even with the quick wins, however, it is recognised that there may be issues around data quality.
8.33 The number one priority relates to the collation of bus and ferry terminal information. For example, accessibility information about bus stations and ferry terminals is currently not collated and disseminated to the same level of detail as that for rail stations, yet due to the lower numbers of bus stations and ferry terminals, this would be quick and easy to rectify and would bring benefits to a high number of potential passengers.
8.34 The second priority should be to obtain statements from all Scottish bus operators on their policy on drivers providing assistance to disabled passengers. This information could be added to the service record in TransXChange and would immediately bring benefits to disabled travellers who are uncertain about what to expect, particularly when waiting at bus stops.
8.35 Improving the level of accessibility information available for bus stops will be the most resource intensive, due to the thousands of stops involved. However, existing bus stop databases already exist and these should be aggregated by Traveline in their current form and the required information fed into NaPTAN. Guidance on expanding existing databases and establishing new databases modelled on best practice templates should be sent to Local Authorities as soon as possible.
8.36 For rail stations and rail vehicles, very little accessibility information is missing from existing databases and the National Rail Enquiries and First ScotRail websites provide the majority of the essential information required by disabled travellers. The Scottish Executive should liaise with ATOC to discuss whether essential information not currently collected could be included in future versions of the station information page, with the agreement of the main train operating company in Scotland, First ScotRail.
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