Attitudes of disabled people to public transport:
Research study

What is the future transport system expected to be like?

• Many are unconvinced that the necessary investment is being made in Britain's railways and buses to meet the needs of disabled passengers
• Some disabled people have high expectations for public transport and the integration of modes
• Expectation is overwhelmingly optimistic for the future consideration of disabled people's needs in the design of public transport vehicles

Expectations of Public Transport

More disabled people expect the quality and performance of bus and train services to improve than deteriorate (+15% and +13% net improve). This is slightly more optimistic than the general population (+6% and +11% net improve)^[16].

Overall, 30% of disabled people think local bus services will improve. Twenty-six per cent say this about rail services and 13% for light rail/tram/ Underground services.

Light rail/tram/Underground users, long distance rail users, Londoners and wheelchair users are significantly more positive about the future of train services than the other main sub-groups.

Some disabled people have high expectations for the integration of different modes: 21% expect that the links between different types of public transport, for example bus/rail interchanges, will get better, whilst 8% say they will deteriorate. The majority, however, think that the integration of public transport will 'stay the same' or 'don't know' what to expect.

With regard to links between car and public transport, for example park and ride schemes and parking at stations, the outlook is even more optimistic: 28% say this will improve, 6% say it will deteriorate, whilst 21% believe it will stay the same. Forty-five per cent say they 'don't know' what which happen in the next ten years.

Wheelchair users, Londoners and rail users are most positive about integration.

Although expectations of public transport are relatively high, disabled people do not share as optimistic an outlook as the general public. Despite this, similar proportions of disabled people and the general population are unconvinced that the necessary investment is currently being made to meet the needs of bus or rail passengers.

Public Transport Investment

Only 14% of disabled people agree with the statement 'The necessary investment is being made in Britain's railways to meet the needs of passengers', whereas 43% disagree. Within this, 24% tend to disagree, and 19% strongly disagree. One third of respondents (33%) answer 'don't know'.

Those who are most unconvinced that the necessary investment is being made are wheelchair users (60% disagree with the statement), people with visual impairments (55% disagree) and various types of rail users (for example 60% of long distance rail users).

With regard to buses, although attitudes are slightly better, they are on balance negative - significantly more disabled people disagree (39%) than agree (25%) with the statement 'The necessary investment is being made in Britain's buses to meet the needs of passengers'. Within those who disagree, 25% tend to disagree, and 14% strongly disagree. Again, a relatively large proportion of respondents 'don't know' (23%). Wheelchair users are by far the most disillusioned (62% disagree), along with C1C2s (47%), visually impaired people (46%), those with access to technology (51%) and local and long distance rail users (53%).

Design of Public Transport Vehicles

Expectation is overwhelmingly optimistic for future consideration of disabled people's needs in the design of public transport vehicles. Half (49%) expect the design of public transport vehicles to improve over the next ten years whilst only 7% see it deteriorating. Twenty-three per cent say it will stay about the same and 21% 'don't know'. Disabled people in urban areas, excluding London, (57%), light rail/tram/Underground users (56%) and those with access to technology are more likely to be optimistic in their outlook.

There is also willingness from disabled people to get more involved in transport projects. Twenty-nine per cent of disabled people agree with the statement 'I would like the opportunity to be involved in public transport projects in my area to ensure that they meet my needs'. MORI's local government research has found a similar level of response among the general public.

Disabled people aged 16-34 (55%), wheelchair users (54%), those with access to technology (50%), Londoners (44%), and rail, plane and ferry users are much more keen to have the opportunity to be involved.

From the qualitative findings, it is clear that disabled people would particularly welcome evidence of 'the disabled view' being taken into account. To achieve this, disabled people want to be included on committees, on boards and in pressure groups and given feedback. Furthermore, the lack of disabled politicians and disabled decision-makers is regarded as indicative of the marginalisation of disabled people's needs.

There must be some improvement because we've never been asked to a meeting before and asked what we feel about disabled transport. Somewhere somebody is thinking perhaps people should have transport improved.

This is something that has to be improved, and at the end of the day the government has to be willing to give the money and the time to actually go to disabled people and go to different organisations and say 'well what do you want?' At the end of the day I don't think very many people have actually listened. A lot of things have been said but it's gone through one ear and out the other, and until people start taking in what disabled people want it's not going to improve.

My knowledge of government is that they will improve it in time, but probably we'll be quite old when it happens.

Above all, disabled people want planners, transport operators and decision-makers to properly consider their needs when designing and operating services. Currently, 60% of disabled people think that the people responsible for transport planning and development pay 'too little' attention to providing facilities for disabled people in their local area. Only 1% of respondents believe 'too much' attention is given and 21% think it is 'about the right amount'. Eighteen per cent 'don't know'.

Wheelchair users (81%), those with visual impairment (73%), disabled people with access to technology (70%), rail users (70%) and light rail / tram / Underground users (74%) are significantly more likely than the other main sub-groups to think too little attention is given to their needs.

Awareness of Transport Policies

The survey asked to what extent respondents considered various transport policy statements are true or false. The results showed that there is a need to inform disabled people better. Very low awareness is recorded of some policies and projects that are either currently underway or proposed in the near future.

For example, only 23% think that it is true that 'Disabled people are exempt from any proposed road charging schemes', while 21% actually say this is false. However, the overwhelming majority (56%) are not sure or don't know.

As concerning is that as many as 26% of disabled people say it is true that 'Easy to use buses will not be available until 2015' when it has been a legal requirement for new buses to comply with the DDA since 2000. Twenty-nine per cent say this statement is false and 44% are either 'Not sure' or 'Don't know'. However, there is concern over how long older buses not complying with these requirements will remain in service.

On the other hand, it is quite encouraging that 45% of disabled people know that 'All new trains are required to have easy to hear and easy to see announcements'. Twelve per cent do not believe this and 43% are unsure or don't know.

Finally, 61% say it is true that 'All new transport services are required to be easy to use for disabled people'. Eleven per cent do not believe this and a further 28% are either unsure or don't know. It is Government policy, as stated in the 10 Year Plan for Transport that public funding for investment in transport projects is conditional on access for disabled people being included.

Disabled people aged 75+, people with learning disabilities and those who only use a car are more likely to be unsure or don't know about the projects listed.

Londoners are more likely to be aware that disabled people are exempt from the proposed road charging schemes (33% true compared with 23% overall). In contrast, Londoners are less likely to believe that all registered disabled people are entitled to at least 50% concession on local bus services (41% say this is true compared to 51% in other urban areas and 45% in rural locations).

Train users are more likely than other groups to have an opinion about whether new trains are required to have easy to hear and easy to see announcements. However, while they are more likely to believe this than disabled people as a whole (52% compared with 45%) they are also significantly more likely to say this is untrue (22% against 12%).

Awareness of DPTAC

Like many committees sponsored by Government, DPTAC is not well known. It was not expected that many disabled people would have heard of DPTAC and 85% have never heard of DPTAC. Seven per cent say they have heard of the body, but know nothing about it, and a further 3% know just a little. Only 2% (13 disabled people) say they either know a fair amount about DPTAC or know it very well.

Wheelchair users are more likely to have heard of DPTAC than disabled people as a whole (21% against 15%).

Londoners are significantly more likely to have heard of DPTAC - 64% have never heard of the body compared with 88% of disabled people in other urban areas and 88% in rural areas.

Rail and Underground users are also more likely to be aware of DPTAC, while the reverse is true of disabled people who only use cars.

Published: 24 May 2002

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