Attitudes of disabled people to public transport:
Research study

How do disabled people currently use the transport system?

• Disabled people travel a third less often than the general public
• Disabled people use mainly cars when undertaking journeys
• However, disabled people drive cars less often than the general public but use buses, taxis and mincabs more often
• Sixty per cent of disabled people have no car in the household
• The car is perceived as the most accessible mode
• Almost half of disabled people use some form of initiative for disabled people to make travel easier
• As many disabled people travel alone as with someone else

Travel Behaviour

Compared with the general public as a whole, disabled people travel a third less often^[6]. Disabled people drive cars far less (47% less often), although taxis/minicabs are used much more (67% more frequently), as well as buses (around 20% more frequently). It therefore follows that disabled people are disproportionately more likely than the general population to use taxi/minicab firms and bus services.

However, many disabled people consider private cars to be the only form of transport that is convenient and accessible. Vehicles can often be adapted to the individual needs of users, including wheelchair users and drivers or passengers with other mobility needs. People also feel that private cars are more reliable and comfortable, as well as providing a feeling of security, in line with the general population.

Ninety per cent of disabled people travel by car, only slightly less than the general public. However, 79% of disabled people never drive themselves compared to only a third of the general public^[7].

Thirty per cent of disabled people never use taxis/minicabs compared to 21% of the general population.

Similarly, 39% never use local buses compared to 31% of the general public. Two thirds never use local trains, as opposed to just over half the general public, rising to three quarters for long distance rail services (47% of the general public).

Eight in ten never use light rail, tram or Underground services. Three quarters never use ferry services and two thirds do not fly.

Overall, ten per cent hold a disabled persons railcard, giving discounts on national and local rail travel. Rather more (48%) hold a local authority concessionary fare pass, which gives at least half price discounts on local buses.

Public transport usage among disabled people is strikingly higher in London than the rest of England and Wales, as with the public in general. For example, 65% use local buses and 44% use light rail and Underground services in London.

Among people with different disabilities, there are some differences in modal use. For example, visually impaired people are more likely to be rail and Underground users (42% use local rail compared with 31% of disabled people as a whole). Furthermore, wheelchair users are less likely to be bus users (72% never do compared with 39% overall). This percentage is likely to increase as more accessible services are introduced, particularly if their use is encouraged.

The Perceived Advantages of the Car

Sixty per cent of disabled people have no car in the household, compared with just 27% of the general population. Among those over 70, a rapidly growing proportion of the population, 55% live in households without a car.

Of the 40% of households with a car, 69% hold a Blue (formerly orange) Badge, though half of them do not know whether it was issued under mandatory or discretionary criteria. Overall 46% of all disabled people surveyed hold a Blue (formerly orange) Badge^[8].

Although the majority of disabled people do not have a car in the household, the car is seen as playing a central role in independent mobility.

In fact, the majority prefer using the car to public transport (59% agree to the statement 'I prefer using the car to public transport' against 17% who disagree). This is particularly true for those age 60 and over (65% prefer using the car), wheelchair users (66%), ambulant disabled people (65%), and drivers (93%).

Reliance on and preference towards the car is particularly strong in rural areas (63% prefer using the car to public transport compared with 55% in the rest of England and Wales). This might reflect the provision of public transport in these areas.

Unprompted, those who prefer using the car to public transport were asked why. As with the general population, the ease/convenience of the car and the advantage of door-to-door/direct travel featured most highly (38% and 31% respectively). The difficulty of getting on/off public transport is mentioned by 13%. No waiting at bus stops and the need of having someone to help are both spontaneously identified by 10%.

A wide range of other advantages of the car are identified, including avoiding the need to walk (10%), more independence/freedom (9%), safer/more secure (8%). As with the general population, many disabled people have a starting point that public transport is difficult to use and is not adequate for their needs. Those who can avoid using public transport do so either through using their own car or relying on friends and neighbours.

One of the main issues associated with cars relate to the pedestrianisation of towns. The qualitative findings show that disabled people are angered by the increasing distance of parking from amenities, the lack of provision of parking spaces for disabled vehicles and the illegitimate use of disabled parking spaces. Other research has found that of all disabled people who are able to walk, approximately 30% were unable to walk more than 50 metres without stopping or severe discomfort and a further 20 per cent could only walk between 50 and 200 metres^[9].

Transport Initiatives for Disabled People

In the survey people were asked about transport initiatives covering Motability, community cars and buses.

Motability is a joint enterprise, which provides vehicles and powered wheelchairs to people who are in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component (HRMC) of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA). It operates as a partnership between the voluntary, public and private sectors and was set up in 1977 to rationalise provision of Government allowances and vehicle schemes providing mobility for disabled people.

The Scheme currently has almost 400,000 customers and new cars purchased through the Scheme represent around 7% of all new car sales in the UK^[10]. Thirteen per cent of disabled people (27% of wheelchair users) surveyed use the Motability Scheme.

Overall eighteen per cent use community cars, often from volunteer drivers using their own vehicles for a variety of purposes. Disabled people from rural areas make the greatest use of volunteer drivers (24%).

Shopmobility is used by 8% of all respondents but 30% of wheelchair users. Shopmobility involves, lending manual and powered wheelchairs and powered scooters to members of the public with limited mobility, to shop and use the leisure and commercial facilities of the town, city centre or shopping centre. Shopmobility is growing rapidly with over 250 schemes throughout the UK. The National Federation of Shopmobility estimate that over 200,000 people a year use Shopmobility services making over 1.5 million trips per year.

Twelve per cent of disabled people use buggies provided at airports and rail stations for mobility assistance.

Ring a ride bus services collecting and returning passengers from their front door are used by 9% of all disabled people (20% of wheelchair users). In London 20% of people used this type of service. DPTAC plans to undertake additional research into the attitudes of disabled people on community and voluntary transport over the coming year.

Taxicard is a method of providing subsidised door-to-door transport for disabled people who have difficulty in using public transport in London. Taxicard holders make journeys in licensed London taxis and the subsidy applies directly to each trip. Similar schemes exist in some other parts of England and Wales but not everywhere.

In London, 24% of disabled people used the Taxicard scheme, compared with 6% in England and Wales overall. This difference may well be due to the lack of similar schemes elsewhere in England and Wales.

Less than one in ten disabled people use the national Disabled Person's Reporting System (9%), which enables people to book assistance at rail stations. Wheelchair users are significantly more likely than other groups to use the Disabled Person's Reporting System with 30% using the service.

Disabled people aged 16-34, social class AB^[11] and wheelchair users are more likely to use the Disabled Person's Reporting System. Of those who have used this system, a third have encountered problems in the last twelve months.

Travelling Alone or With Someone Else

When using public transport, 39% of disabled people travel alone and 40% travel with someone else. For the remainder, it depends on the journey.

Wheelchair users are much less likely to travel on their own when using public transport (18% compared with 53% who travel with someone else). The reverse is true of visually impaired people (53% normally travel alone and 34% travel with someone else). For ambulant disabled people and those with a hearing impairment the same proportion travel alone (40%) as with someone else (39%). For those with an learning disability, slightly more travel with someone else on public transport (46%) than on their own (39%).

Similarly when travelling by car/taxi/minicab, wheelchair users find it the most difficult and are significantly less likely to travel alone (23%). In contrast, those with a visual impairment, are most likely to travel alone (43%); however, as would be expected, a similar proportion travel with someone else (39%). Overall, 36% of disabled people travel by taxi/minicab alone, 43% with someone else and 10% say it depends.

Difficult Journeys

Respondents were presented with a list of journeys and asked which, if any, they normally experience difficulty with, or do not make at all because of a lack of transport or poor transport services in their area.

• Travelling to/from place of work
• Travelling to/from place of study
• Travelling to/from doctor/hospital
• Visiting leisure/recreational facilities
• Visiting friends/relatives

Overall, 41% of disabled people experience difficulty with at least one of the journeys listed. A quarter experience difficulty with travelling to/from the doctor/hospital. Twenty-three per cent say this about visiting friends/relatives, and 18% for visiting leisure/recreational services.

Twenty-three per cent of disabled workers say they find travelling to/from their place of work difficult.

Wheelchair users (64%) and Londoners (52%) are significantly more likely to report experience difficulty than the other groups. Visiting friends and relatives in London was seen as a particular problem (33%).

Planning Journeys

Sixty-one per cent of disabled people plan journeys in advance, including 27% who plan all the time, 14% for half of their journeys, 6% for less than half and a further 14% for only a few long distance journeys. Thirty-one per cent say they never plan journeys well in advance and 8% say it depends.

Again it is wheelchair users who are most likely to plan journeys in advance - 79% do so. Less than half (47%) of those with hearing impairment say they plan in advance.

Of those who plan journeys well in advance, the majority (52%) say they get frustrated that they cannot go out at the spur of the moment. However, a significant proportion (40%) accept it as part of being a disabled person. Thirty-eight per cent say they would like more options to make travelling less hassle.

Wheelchair users and visually impaired people are most likely to be frustrated that they cannot go out on the spur of moment (82% and 63% respectively). Indeed, these groups are also most likely to want more options to make travelling less irritating (64% and 51% respectively).

I'd like to be able to get in my wheelchair, go out of the house without having to say to somebody or ring a taxi up and say - "I'm going by public transport, I'm getting on the bus"