Transcript UNECE Working Party on Rail Transport Workshop on Passenger Accessibility of Heavy Rail Systems Geneva 19 November 2009 Policy and Legislative Context for Improved Accessibility Mary.

UNECE Working Party on Rail Transport
Workshop on Passenger Accessibility of Heavy Rail Systems
Geneva
19 November 2009
Policy and Legislative Context for
Improved Accessibility
Mary Crass
Head of Policy and Forum Preparation
International Transport Forum
[email protected]
CONTENTS
◊ The International Transport Forum
◊ Improving Access Across Countries
◊ Implementing Accessibility: Why Is It So
Hard?
◊ What Can Authorities and Operators Do?
THE INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT FORUM
 The multi-modal, inter-governmental
Ministerial Forum for transport
 Successor to the European Conference of
Ministers of Transport (ECMT)
 Part of the OECD family
 Two key elements: Annual Forum meeting
and Transport Research Centre
 Goal to increase profile of transport sector
and its challenges, and advance policy
thinking
52 member countries worldwide
Improving Access Across
Countries
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPERATIVES
 Growing numbers of people are
unable to get around as they need
to – therefore unable to participate
fully in society;
 Loss of independent mobility
means cost for care provision and
support.
POLICY CONTEXT ACROSS COUNTRIES
 Growing awareness of importance of mobility for
disabled and older people;
 National accessibility policies increasingly derived
from disability rights legislation;

Also non-statutory guidelines and advice,
consultation/ state financial assistance;
government-funded research and development.
 Increasing recognition that consultation with
disability organisations at all levels of government is
essential.
INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR
ACCESSIBILITY
 The United Nations Convention on the Rights of
Persons with a Disability
 Promotes development and implementation of
standards to improve accessibility:
 Applies to public and private service providers;
 Calls on States to facilitiate mobility and
independent living of disabled people.
 Disabled people shall have equal access to their
physical surroundings, transport, information and
communication
INTERNATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR
ACCESSIBILITY
 European Union- 3 mechanisms to influence
national policy:

EU directives and regulations adopted by government

Regulation (EC) No 371/2007 23 October 2007 on Rail
Passengers’ Rights and Obligations

TSI on Accessibility to Railway Services (TSI PRM)

COST process

COST Action 335 on Accessibility to Heavy Rail Systems
(2005)

Funding of international research on accessibility and
mobility
MOVE TOWARDS DISABILITY RIGHTS
LEGISLATION
 USA (1990) : Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);
 UK (1995) Disability Discrimination Act (DDA);
 Germany (2002): Act on Equal Opportunities for
Disabled Persons ;
 Spain (2003) : National Law for Equal Opportunities,
Non Discrimination and Universal Accessibility;
 Switzerland (2004): Federal Act on the Elimination of
Discrimination against People with Disabilities;
 France (2005): Law on Equal Rights and
Opportunities , participation and citizenship of
disabled persons.
MODAL-BASED APPROACHES
 Sweden (1979): one of the first countries to introduce
national legislation on adaptation of public transport
for disabled travellers;
 Japan (2000): Transport Accessibility Improvement
Law;
 Netherlands (2000): Act on Passenger Transport
contracting of public transport services conditional on
system accessibility;
 Norway (2004): National Transport Plan’s
Accessibility Programme (BRA) for 2006-2009: draws
on government-wide Action Plan for increased
access based on universal design.
ACHIEVING ACCESSIBILITY: PROGRESS MADE
 Legislation introduced in many countries and at
European level;
 Good practice including:
 Improved authority-operator collaboration
for seamless transport;
 Better links with organisations representing
disabled/older people;
 Growing awareness of need for barrier-free
pedestrian environment.
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Implementing Accessibility:
Why is it so hard?
ACHIEVING ACCESSIBILITY: PERSISTENT
BARRIERS
 Low government priority;
 Inadequate regulatory & legal
frameworks/technical standards;
 Insufficient monitoring and evaluation of
implementation;
 Lack of familiarity with international good
practice.
ACHIEVING ACCESSIBILITY: PERSISTENT
BARRIERS
 Accessibility remains in many countries in the
margins of transport policy;
 Result: financial /other resources = committed
too late;
 High retrofitting/investment costs; indirect
costs due to loss of mobility.
 Without political commitment at national level,
necessary improvements to accessibility cannot
take place.
BETTER PLANNING IS KEY
 Early, long-term (10-year) planning for accessibility:
 Allows costs to be spread out over investment
period;
 Engenders economic benefits for transport
companies (increased patronage; reduced
boarding times).
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What Can Authorities and
Operators Do?
PRIORITY AREAS FOR FURTHER ACTION
 Recognise that accessibility is no longer an option for
authorities and operators;
 Develop a comprehensive national policy framework
with supporting legislation and regulation where
necessary;
 Consistently monitor implementation of legislation and
regulation; evaluate impacts;
 Training for transport personnel, particularly drivers:
 Especially to address sensory and cognitive
disabilities/mental health problems.
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Recent ITF Publications on Accessibility
Many reports, documents available
from:
http://www.internationaltransportforum.org
Mary CRASS
Head of Policy and Forum Preparation
International Transport Forum
[email protected]