Review of International Best Practices in Accessible Public Transportation for Persons with Disabilities

This United Nations Development Programme publication covers easy to long-term practices for improving access in transport. It discusses the elements of accessibility, road and pedestrian environments, vehicle design and operation, stops and stations, signage and information, and training and policies | Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.

One of the articles of the Convention, which is also the subject of this report, is the core issue of accessibility. Article 9 of the Convention requires countries to identify and eliminate obstacles and barriers and ensure that persons with disabilities can access their environment, transportation, public facilities and e-services, and information and communications technologies. More importantly, the Convention approaches issues of persons with disabilities from a rights-based approach. Hence, Article 9 also speaks about the importance of enabling persons with disabilities to live independently and participate fully in all aspects of life, which will not be possible, if accessibility is not fully ensured.

This report provides an international overview of the key technical issues on accessible public transportation for persons with disabilities. It begins with a brief description of the prevalence of disability and factors that influence accessibility. It also explains why safe and convenient pedestrian infrastructure is particularly essential for persons with disabilities if they wish to satisfactorily access public transport.