Review of DPTAC guidance:
Large passenger ships and passenger infrastructure
(final report)

5. Question 3. What is the impact of the guidance on existing service provision?

In answering this question, the researchers investigated the impact of the guidance on the ability and ease with which disabled people can travel, and whether this has affected the numbers of disabled people who travel on large passenger ships.

5.1 Changes in patronage

To explore whether the numbers of disabled people travelling by large passenger ship has changed since the publication of the DPTAC guidance, data on the usage of large passenger ships by older and disabled people was sought. Unfortunately, none of the operators investigated for this project collect such data. One of the operators thought that this information would be categorised as 'sensitive' under the Data Protection Act and as such, they should not be collecting it.

5.2 Disabled passengers' experiences of large passenger ship travel

5.2.1 Potential passengers and non-travellers

The telephone interviews and focus groups found that there are a number of people who remain unaware of the improvements to ports and large passenger ships that have occurred in recent years.

5.2.2 Research and planning

The more experienced disabled passengers reported that they extensively researched their travel plans to identify possible barriers and the provision of assistance. They also identified opportunities for discounts using telephone, the internet or travel brochures. Some of the disabled passengers had used organisations such as the Disabled Drivers' Motorists Club (DDMC) and Tripscope^[3] to give advice and to secure discounts for car travel. These organisations appeared to have an important function in raising awareness, passing on advice, negotiating discounts and resolving access requirements.

5.2.3 Booking by telephone

Most travellers reported booking direct with the operator by phone. Hearing impaired participants expressed concern about the lack of availability of text-phone services.

5.2.4 On-line booking

Passengers who wanted to book on-line reported experiences with large passenger ship operators and other travel agencies where requests for assistance could only be made by telephone. Consequently, they believed that they could not book on-line or take advantage of any discounts available only to on-line booking. Regular travellers did not think it was always necessary to discuss access needs with an operator, so did not feel it was necessary for them to make requests for assistance by telephone.

5.2.5 Provision of information in different formats

People with visual impairments reported the need for information in large print, while people with hearing impairments said that they examined the brochures for evidence of Typetalk and Minicom and fax contact numbers. These passengers were keen to have safety information to be provided in an accessible format prior to the trip.

The provision of information is considered in more detail in section 6 of this report.

5.2.6 Declaring disability and requesting assistance

The DPTAC guidance states that:

"Passengers ... should also ensure that the port and ferry operators involved are made aware in advance of the needs of people with disabilities so that they can make appropriate arrangements and pre-warn passengers of any practical difficulties or physical obstructions." (DPTAC, 2000: 5)

Although members of the focus groups generally agreed that declaring a disability was an important element in reducing stress and minimising opportunities for journey failures, it was also clear that not all disabled people wish to declare their disability.

In some cases making the decision on whether to declare or not was difficult, when there was a lack of knowledge of the tasks required by the traveller and the level of help that may be required on any particular route. There was also uncertainty about why they needed to declare their disability.

It would appear that not all people declare their disabilities unless they know they will need help. At one of the focus groups, one couple reported a successful journey and another reported a stressful journey on the same route. The successful couple emphasised the need to request assistance in order to manage a wheelchair on the steep access ramp to the ship.

The circumstances in which someone declares a disability could change depending on whether the journey was made alone or with others. For example A described herself as hard of hearing and will declare her disability if travelling alone:

A: "If I am on my own, yes ... but if I am with my husband I don't because fortunately I rely on him to be my ears for me"

A participant with multiple disabilities wondered how many of her impairments she needed to reveal:

B1: "I have so many problems but I don't want to have to list them all out."

Some concern was expressed that potential passengers might be turned away if they declared their disability. Declaring disabilities and requesting assistance are sensitive issues, with participants at the focus groups discussing incidents reported locally or in the media of disabled people being turned away when travelling in groups.

Where participants had declared their disability at the time of booking, some reported that this information did not appear to be passed on and they had to keep repeating it at check-in and boarding.

5.2.7 Assistance

Most passengers reported favourably about the customer service provided, especially on board ships.

Regular travellers reported getting to know the crew, and the crew understanding what sort of assistance was needed. One person very happily reported being upgraded into first class where table service was provided. However the 'self-service' arrangements for getting refreshments were reported as being difficult for people with both visual and mobility impairments. Several people would have liked to be served at their seat as on airlines.

Good communication helped to overcome significant problems, including one case where a day trip turned into a non-landing trip due to equipment failure at the far end. In another instance the passenger was told not to hurry down to their car, as they needed to let other cars parked close by to depart first. The importance of staff training in disability awareness, including understanding cognitive impairment and hearing impairments that could be more difficult to recognise, was highlighted by participants.

5.2.8 Access to terminal buildings

Access to terminal buildings was important for foot and car passengers arriving without confirmed tickets and in the event of any service delays. In most reported cases waiting time was short; however, at one terminal those with telephone and on-line tickets reported some difficulties getting to the ticket office to confirm the booking.

5.2.9 Foot access onto the ship

Both older passengers and people with visual impairments commented on the long walkways, sometimes on uneven ground and with poor lighting. Two people reported not wanting to repeat their travel experience because of difficulties in getting from ship to shore. In each case the person did not consider themselves disabled and had not requested assistance; however, they were unable to walk quickly enough or for any great distance and found it stressful to be in a crowd of people trying to hurry them on. One person reported that she was unable to use to use her nearest south coast island service because she was unable to manage the steep gangway to get on board.

One focus group discussed the benefit of being allowed priority boarding ahead of the crowd. One person with a visual impairment travelling on a route from Northern Ireland reported a 'brown card scheme' by which passengers were identified and were offered priority boarding ahead of the crowd. At another port it was observed that disabled passengers, including a wheelchair user and a person with a guide dog, waited in a special area at the terminal and were allowed to board first.

5.2.10 Boarding with a car

Car drivers and car passengers frequently reported the simple and successful strategy of using hazard warning lights to indicate to crew that they needed to park by the lifts.

SS: "...the crew were very helpful. They were informed that there were two wheelchair passengers travelling in the car. The driver had to switch on the hazard warning lights when boarding so that the crew would know that the car had disabled passenger in the car. The car was parked next to the lift for easy access to the upper decks."

Cars and coaches with disabled passengers were reported and observed to be held in separate queues in the car marshalling areas at the port and were often boarded first - although this depended on the location of the lift on the ship. One disabled passenger reported being boarded last and then being last off. For car drivers and their passengers there were fewer access problems, provided they were able to park their car close to the on board lift as recommended in the guidance.

Difficulties were encountered, however, because car decks were often very congested and passengers reported difficulties getting close enough to the lift or being given enough space to open doors fully or access boot mounted wheelchair hoists. This difficulty was apparent on the group day trip. The minibus was found to need considerably more space than allowed in order to provide for the passenger door side steps, the tailgate wheelchair lift, and to provide a safe wheelchair access to the doorways to the lifts.

One driver reported some access difficulties caused by the low ground clearance of his specially adapted wheelchair accessible day van, and another disabled driver commented on the skills needed to get her vehicle to a higher deck level on a refurbished ship where the lift was located.

5.2.11 Car deck access

Light levels on the car deck were sometimes low, and one passenger with a visual impairment reported on the hazards caused by car bumpers, the many floor mounted fixings, and high door step. A wheelchair user also commented on the difficulty of trying to navigate around floor mounted fittings in the confined space of the car deck. One wheelchair user reported an example of good practice on a refurbished ship where extra yellow paint had been applied to the car deck to help define a wheelchair accessible space and route.

5.2.12 Wheelchair access

Some wheelchair users reported on the long inclined ramps leading up from the shore side facilities up to the passenger access level onto the ship. Access on board from the car deck was sometimes compromised by steep ramps over door coamings between the car deck and lifts. Short steep ramps adversely affect wheelchair stability, and two passengers reported needing assistance to get over the high ramped access from car deck to passenger accommodation or the lift.

Several passengers commented that lifts were small, taking only one wheelchair at a time, with the result that queues of wheelchair users developed. Several wheelchair users said that they found themselves in competition with other people using the lifts in preference to the stairs.

Two wheelchair users reported distressing experiences with older ships that were not wheelchair accessible and where they had struggled to climb a steep flight of stairs, in order to avoid driving an additional 100 miles to take an alternative service. Another person was directed to travel to a distant port when the service was cancelled due to bad weather, but the operator was not able to confirm whether the alternative ship was wheelchair accessible.

5.2.13 Access to toilets

Access to toilets was reported as an important issue both at the terminal buildings, in the car marshalling areas and on board. One person reported not knowing if there was sufficient time to unload her wheelchair and get to the toilets before boarding.

One passenger reported some problems getting to the accessible toilet, which was on a different level to the passenger accommodation in use. He had to get to the information desk, arrange to have the lift switched on from the bridge, and have an escort to unlock the toilet door. Overall, however, he preferred to use that ship because of the service provision, and because it was quieter than the alternatives on the same route.

Relatively minor design details for toilets could turn into a major difficulty; several people with impairments affecting their hands reported difficulty with door locks, and one reported that she never dared to lock the door in case she could not grip the door lock to open it again.

The traditional ship design problem of high door sills (coamings) seemed to have been resolved at least for the accessible toilets on ships used by the passengers. One recently refurbished ship was reported as having an electronic sliding door which was very acceptable - once it was understood how to operate it.

5.2.14 Cabins

Two people reported on the need to book early to reserve cabins adapted for wheelchair access on longer crossings, but they much appreciated the facilities available.

Specific issues were raised by the island passengers using cabins on the overnight service - access to the toilet by wheelchair within the accessible cabin was compromised by the door sill, and the hoist did not extend far enough to overcome the problem.

These passengers also reported that the accessible cabins were not large enough to accommodate a family group where either the parent or child had a disability, and as a consequence the group was separated. This meant that, as the accessible cabins were grouped together close to the reception, other family members were too far away to offer assistance or to be observed by the wheelchair-using parent.

5.2.15 Seating

Many passengers reported that they remained seated for short duration voyages or remained in their cabins on longer crossings. One explained that moving around on a moving deck on crutches was not safe, and another said that her balance would not be good enough to walk around on a moving ship.

Positioning seating close to the lifts, toilets and cafeteria helped those with difficulty walking and vision impairments. One person reported that she had transferred out of her wheelchair onto a normal seat but that she had to prop herself up with coats and bags to stop herself from falling over.

The seating on ships usually offered a variety of fixed seating and free chairs around tables. High speed craft commonly had fixed seating arrangements, and two wheelchair users reported feeling isolated from their families because their wheelchairs did not fit around the table. One person was advised by a travel advice group to book an upgraded 'lounge seat' when travelling alone, which he found was very useful because it was close to all facilities.

5.2.16 Navigation

Most passengers found the large level deck areas on board ship were easy to negotiate. One person using a wheelchair on a recently refurbished ship described it as 'disabled heaven' as he could get into the shops, cafeteria and toilets with no assistance. However, a passenger with a visual impairment described problems navigating the open lounge on ships included in the assessment:

EC: "On the larger ... vessels ... the inside lounge space, while state of the art modernity, is huge. Imagine you are halfway to B and a great big roller hits. The ship pitches up and rolls away behind the wave and if you are not sitting / lying or holding on you find yourself either on the deck or trying desperately to stay upright while falling away. I've been lucky because of planning and I've never yet been caught out but I have been close..."

Corridor handrails were particularly useful as support for anyone unsteady on their feet as a consequence of bad weather or a mobility impairment, and were also an important aid to navigation for people with visual impairments. However, hand pillars and obstructed headroom at the doorways of older ships and on the underside of open stairs were reported as serious hazards by people with visual impairments.

5.2.17 Emergency evacuation procedures

Few people interviewed as individuals raised safety concerns. However, this was addressed by the focus groups and on the day trip. Concern was expressed particularly by people with mobility impairments as to how they would be evacuated in an emergency, and whether these procedures had been tested.

The two wheelchair users on the day trip suggested it would be helpful for them to know in advance what arrangements were in place for an emergency. Suggestions to remain seated until a member of the crew came to fetch them seemed unreasonable, as did the idea of being carried off in an Evac-chair.

It was thought unlikely that a person with learning difficulties would remain in their seat waiting for assistance, and they might have particular difficulty in understanding the nature of an emergency. A passenger with learning difficulties who had travelled recently was found to have identified the lifeboats, but was unable to describe what might happen in an emergency.

A passenger with a visual impairment suggested it would be useful to be allowed to practise putting on a life jacket - pointing out that if a ship was sinking, it might well be dark!

People with hearing impairments at the signed focus group and on the day trip expressed particular concern about emergency procedures - on the day trip they searched the ship and found a wall diagram of the ship, life belts and a rescue boat. However no safety leaflets were available and no sub-titles or sign language were given with the safety announcements given as the ship left the port.

5.2.18 Safety Announcements

Non-travellers with hearing impairments raised concerns over safety issues. There was particular concern over procedures and lack of visual alarms in places where they would be alone, such as toilets or cabins^[4]. This issue was discussed at the signed focus group. One person reported that if she was travelling alone, she would make a point of informing staff that she was deaf. However, this raised a further problem of how staff would identify a hearing impaired person in an emergency situation. It was noted on the day trip that audible announcements were compromised by the noise of the ship's engines making it especially difficult for the participant with visual impairments.

5.3 Discussion and conclusions

The overall experiences of the passengers suggested that there had been considerable improvements to access on the newer ships, and that in most cases customer care and assistance had made a difference. In addition, the majority of the physical and service facilities that the disabled travellers were asking for are included in the DPTAC guidance; therefore if the guidance had been followed closely, the majority of their needs would have been met.

Boarding appears to be the most difficult part of the journey for disabled passengers. Many passengers reported problems with physical access of older vessels due to steep stairways and no lifts. This has, however, improved with the introduction of new ships with lifts from the car deck, and improved access arrangements between port and ship for foot passengers. It was apparent, however, that some people remain unaware of the improvements to ports and large passenger ships that have occurred in recent years. This highlights the need for more information and publicity to be given about recent changes and improvements to the accessibility of newer large passenger ships.

An important area for improvement that was highlighted by the passengers was information provision. Information exchange is critical at the planning stage and throughout the journey life cycle. For example more understanding is needed of how to give information to passengers who are hearing impaired by providing alternatives to audible announcements.

In the current mix of older and newer more accessible ships there is an increased need for information about services available. Experienced and successful travellers adopt strategies such as careful planning and making sure they request assistance from the operator. First time users may be less able to fully predict their needs and match their requirements with the facilities offered. When things go wrong with the plan, or when disabled passengers identify access difficulties, it would be desirable to have a system for dealing with suggestions and complaints.

There appears to be a perception among disabled people that they need to declare their disability rather than declare their needs. Providing information about what information is required and the reasons for this would benefit passengers and help them make an informed decision.

Not all disabled people travel with a carer. People may be travelling in family groups that include a disabled adult or child, but people with disabilities may also want to travel alone with or without extra assistance. This is especially true for the island journeys where the need to travel may be driven by the need to access facilities not available on the island, or to visit family. Good disability awareness training and a policy of customer care can help to reduce stress and allow the passenger to make a journey without encountering any physical difficulties.

Those passengers travelling with children often found the accessible cabins did not meet their needs. Operators need to consider family groups with disabled members and how to deal with their needs.

Currently, there appears to be no system for counting the numbers of people with disabilities or those who might need assistance when travelling. However, the reported congestion for lifts and the need for advance booking of accessible cabins suggest there may be an underestimate of the numbers needing assistance.

This section indicates that accessibility on ships and at ports has improved but passengers still encounter barriers that could be overcome if the recommendations in the guidance were followed more comprehensively. This suggests that the impact of the guidance has been limited.

3. Tripscope is an organisation providing advice to disabled people on travel arrangements.
4. As part of crew muster training, crew are trained to check these areas to ensure nobody is left behind.

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Published: 14 June 2006 | Copyright disclaimer | Content disclaimer | © Crown Copyright 2009