Attitudes of disabled people to public transport:
Research study

How do disabled people find out about travel information?

• Telephone Inquiry services are the most widely used means of obtaining public transport journey information
• Disabled people are divided about whether more easily available information would encourage them to use public transport more
• Almost four in ten disabled people do not feel well informed during journeys

Current and Future Information Sources

To gauge the types of information people use and would like to use, respondents were given a list of alternative media (on a showcard) through which transport companies convey information and advice to customers. They were asked which ones they use and which they would like to use in future.

Currently, telephone inquiry services are the most widely used means of obtaining journey information for public transport (35%), in line with the general population^[12].

Obtaining information at the station, via printed timetables and maps or face-to-face, are also popular (23% and 22% respectively).

Telephone inquiry services are also a popular choice for the future (22%), along with printed timetables delivered through the door (17%).

Overall, new forms of media, including the internet and digital TV, are not regularly used to access travel information (8%), however amongst those with access to technology this rises to 22%. Respondents are more likely to use new technology to access information about trains, ferries and planes. Some people identified specific concerns with the internet in the qualitative research:

For visually impaired people, you've either got to have a screen reader or a screen magnifier and that costs a lot, so not everyone is going to have the facility.

The use of (and ease of using) different information services varies by disability and life stage. For example, young people are more likely to be pick information up at a station (38% compared with 23% overall) and to use new technology (17% compared with 8%). In contrast, older people are less likely to use any of the information services mentioned (56% say none). ABs and those working are more likely to use any of those mentioned.

People with visual impairments favour telephone inquiry services more than other disability groups (45%), as do wheelchair users (42%) who are also most likely to use new technology (20%). Those with hearing impairments are less likely to use the phone (29%) and instead more likely to use printed timetables/maps displayed at the station compared with other groups (20%). Those with learning disabilities are more likely to use printed timetable/map they pick up at a station (30%). This demonstrates the importance of information being available in a variety of mediums for different audiences.

Disabled people in rural areas use information at the railway station more than other groups (29% compared with 23% overall), whereas those in London make greater use of telephone services (40% against 35% overall).

In the future, wheelchair users are most likely to want to use telephone inquiry services (40%) and new technology (19%) to get travel information. Disabled people in London are also more in favour of the use of new technology (18%) than those in other areas.

Ease of Obtaining Information

Respondents were asked which services they find it easy to get information on, and which they find it difficult.

Local bus service information is easiest to find, with 47% of disabled people saying it is easy to access information, well ahead of local trains, the second most easiest accessed service, at 22%. Long distance buses are selected as easy in this respect by 18%, followed by airline services at 17%, long distance trains at 16% and ferries at 12%. Light rail, tram or underground are mentioned by slightly fewer (8%). A considerable proportion (13%) do not feel it is easy to get information on any kind of travel service.

Although buses are the service disabled people find easiest to obtain information about, 18% also say that this is the most difficult, similar to local trains (17%), long distance buses (16%), and long distance trains (15%). Ten per cent mention airline services, nine per cent state light rail, trams or underground and eight per cent choose ferries. Around half of disabled people have no opinion regarding the service that is most difficult to travel by.

Those with access to technology are more likely to say they find it easy to obtain information, than the disabled population as a whole, especially for trains and airline services. For example, 36% of those with access to technology say they find it easy to obtain information about local trains, compared with 22% overall. This is in line with the general population^[13].

Those in rural areas are more likely to find it easy to access information about local buses (54% versus 47% overall), local trains (27% versus 22%) and long distance buses and coaches (23% versus 18%) than the national average. Meanwhile, those in London are less likely to find it easy to obtain information on local buses (33% versus 47% overall), and those in urban areas are less likely to find it easy to get information on local trains (16% versus 22% overall).

The difficulty of accessing and using information about transport services was frequently raised in the qualitative research:

I can't see what the information is because it's not clear or not bright enough for visually impaired people who have some sight.

Information and Travel Behaviour

As to whether more easily available information would lead to a greater use of services, respondents are of two minds.

Regarding the statement 'If it were easier to get information about public transport services, I would use public transport services more' 39% agree and 39% disagree. These results are very similar to those found for the general public^[14].

However, certain sections of the disabled population are more likely to agree with the statement than others. Those aged 60+ are less likely to agree; for example, only 28% of those aged 75 and over agree with the statement. It can also be seen that 16-24 year olds are more likely to strongly agree with the statement than disabled people overall (26% compared with 13%), and those aged over 75 are more likely to strongly disagree with the statement (22% compared with 15% overall).

In terms of disability, those most likely to agree with the statement are wheelchair users (48%), whereas those with hearing impairments and ambulant disabilities are more likely to disagree (48% and 43% respectively). The results for those with visual impairments or learning disabilities are similar to the average, although those with learning disabilities are more likely to answer 'don't know'.

Londoners are also more likely to say they would use public transport more if it was easier to obtain information, when compared with the total (46% versus 39%). This contrasts with those in other urban areas who are less likely to agree (33%). Those in rural areas feel similar to the national average. Disabled people who have access to technology, such as the internet, are also more likely to agree (49%).

Those most likely to say that they would use public transport more if information were easier to get are public transport users themselves, whereas those who only use the car are far less likely to say it would have an effect on their travel behaviour.

Most likely to agree are local rail users (58% agree), followed by ferry users (57%), long distance rail users (56%) and Underground users (52%). Plane users and local bus users are also more likely than average to agree (52% and 47% respectively). By comparison, only 19% of those who only use a car agree with the statement.

Therefore, improving information services may not increase the numbers of disabled people who use public transport, but could lead current users to use the services more often.

Information During Journeys

Respondents were also asked how informed they feel during journeys. The reactions are mixed.

Of those who use public transport, only eleven per cent say they feel very well informed, 28% feel fairly well informed, a further 29% do not feel very well informed and 19% feel not at all well informed. Overall, 39% feel well informed and 48% do not.

Over half of disabled public transport users do not feel well informed while making a journey. Sixty one per cent of those who use long distance trains say they feel either not very well informed or not at all well informed, with similar proportion for local trains (59%), long distance buses (54%), and local buses (50%).

Those with a visual impairment are most likely to say they do not feel well informed, with half (52%) saying they do not feel very well informed or not at all well informed. This is followed by those with a hearing impairment and wheelchair users both with 42% saying they do not feel well informed.

Disabled people feel less well informed on journeys in London (43%) compared with the England and Wales as a whole (38%).

Many of the focus group participants raised the need for information during journey stages, especially keeping people informed of delays.