Attitudes of disabled people to public transport:
Research study
About the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)
Introduction
Methodology
Executive Summary
How important is transport to disabled people?
How do disabled people currently use the transport system?
How do disabled people find out about travel information?
What are the transport priorities of disabled people?
How can disabled people be encouraged to use transport more?
What is the future transport system expected to be like?
Appendix 1: Sample Profile Information
Appendix 2: Statistical Reliability
Appendix 3: Definition of Social Grades
Appendix 4: About MORI
Appendix 5: Marked-up Questionnaire
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About the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)
The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) is an independent statutory body advising the Government on the transport and mobility needs of disabled people. DPTAC provides expert advice and carries out independent research on disabled people and their use of transport, with the aim of promoting a more inclusive society.
Since summer 2000, DPTAC has also been responsible for advising the Government on the built environment needs of disabled people, as recommended by the Disability Rights Task Force.
DPTAC was established under the Transport Act 1985. Jane Wilmot OBE was appointed Chair of DPTAC in 1999 and, together with twenty members, of which at least half are disabled people, provide expert advice on a broad range of transport and built environment issues aimed at improving access for disabled people.
More information about DPTAC and its members is available on the Committee's web site at http://www.dptac.gov.uk or from the Secretariat at:
DPTAC
1/14 Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR
Telephone: 020 7944 8011
Fax: 020 7944 6998
Minicom: 020 7944 3277
E-mail: dptac@dft.gsi.gov.uk
Introduction
The Government is committed to full and enforceable civil rights for disabled people. In the 10 Year Plan for Transport, Transport 2010, the Government stated:
"6.5 The Government is committed to public transport that is accessible to disabled people. The rate and level of new investment in this Plan will ensure that improvements in the accessibility of public transport are brought forward more quickly. Building in accessibility for all disabled people in all new investment is a condition of public money being spent. Local authorities and transport operators should ensure that the transport needs of disabled people are factored into their plans and that the full benefits of improved public transport are accessible to all."
The aim of this survey is to establish the attitudes of disabled people to public transport in England and Wales, in order to represent more effectively the broad range of disabled people when preparing advice to Government.
This is the first such survey by DPTAC and is possibly the largest survey dedicated to the transport needs of disabled people in England and Wales. MORI questioned nearly 1000 disabled people. Its specific objectives are to:
- Establish the importance of public transport to disabled people
- Establish the modes of transport currently used by disabled people
- Determine the transport priorities of disabled people
- Assess how disabled people currently rate public transport provision
- Determine what disabled people consider are the priorities for improving public transport
- Assess what deters disabled people from using public transport
In common with the general public, the single most frequently used mode of transport for all disabled people is the car as a passenger.
The condition of pavement and roads caused the most concern to disabled people well ahead of dissatisfaction with public transport. This reinforces DPTAC, and DTLR, advice that improvements to public transport vehicles alone is not enough. Access improvements need to be made to all stages of the travel journey, including the walking environment and information provision, so people can reach and use services.
Disabled people support DPTAC advice that the two most important public transport issues are ensuring public transport vehicle design and service delivery meet the needs of disabled people.
Disabled people are impatient for the delivery of DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) compliant vehicles in all areas believing it will take many years. However, since accessible facilities are often already available and all new vehicles are DDA compliant there is a need to promote use of such services. There are encouraging signs that as public transport improves it will be widely used.
Overall, disabled people's transport concerns differ little from the general public, for example being concerned with frequency and reliability of public transport, traffic congestion and shortage of car parking. However, for disabled people the impact of these concerns can be greater on their independent mobility and travel choices.
DPTAC will use the findings of this survey to inform its advice to Government on mainstream transport and the more commonly recognised forms of disability.
In any future report we would hope to expand the scope of the research, certainly to include local community and voluntary community transport, which we already know plays an important role. We are considering a supplementary report on this aspect later this year. We would also hope to cover additional disabilities, such as mental health, where knowledge of relevant issues is less well understood.
There is a very clear message to Government from the research confirming that disabled people experience significant difficulties with transport but that they expect these to be addressed at the earliest possible opportunity. The findings will be invaluable in shaping DPTAC advice.
Jane Wilmot OBE
Methodology
The survey used a holistic approach combining both qualitative and quantitative research techniques.
Qualitative Component
The first stage of the study was to conduct focus groups in order to gain a better understanding of some of the key transport issues facing disabled people and to identify specific issues which may not otherwise have been considered.
Five group discussions amongst people with a range of disabilities were held in October 2001. Quotas were set for gender, age, disability type and modal usage, with groups covering a range of these.
Two in depth interviews with people with learning disabilities were also conducted; one person was interviewed with assistance from his carer.
Quantitative Component
For the quantitative phase, MORI conducted a total of 989 interviews across England and Wales. Interviews were conducted face-to-face in-home or at a location where the respondent felt comfortable (e.g. day centre), between 19 November 2001 and 6 January 2002 in 100 constituency-based sampling points.
Minimum quotas were selected for people with different impairments to allow for separate analysis. For the same reason, booster interviews were conducted in London and in rural areas.
Data are weighted in the overall analysis to provide results broadly representative of disabled people in England and Wales, i.e:
- 6% Wheelchair users
- 11% Visually impaired
- 17% Hearing impaired
- 33% Learning disability
- 65% Ambulant disability
The full weighting is shown in the appendix, along with the full question wording and survey results in the form of a marked-up questionnaire.
Interpretation of the data
Where percentages do not add to exactly 100%, this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of 'don't knows' or 'not stated', or to multiple answers, for example where people have more than one disability.
The term 'net', which is used in the document, is the balance when a negative finding has been subtracted from the positive.
It should be borne in mind throughout this report that only a representative sample of the English and Welsh disabled population has been interviewed, not everyone. Therefore, all results are subject to sampling tolerances, which also means that not all differences between figures are necessarily statistically significant (please refer to the Statistical Reliability section in the appendix).
Comparisons with the Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) 2001 survey have been made where possible. The CfIT study was conducted by MORI between 9 June and 5 July 2001 among 2,202 members of the general public in England.
Publication of the data
Our standard Terms and Conditions apply to this, as to all studies we carry out. No press release or publication of the findings of this survey shall be made without the advance approval of MORI. Such approval will only be refused on the grounds of inaccuracy or misrepresentation.
Published: 24 May 2002
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