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Accessible local public transport: A major contribution to comprehensive societal mobility

Posted: 4 March 2013 | Dr Peter Ramsauer, Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development, Germany | No comments yet

The desire to be independently mobile is a wish that people cherish throughout their lives. They want to enjoy mobility that is as unrestricted as possible, and today this is unimaginable without local public transport. At the same time, local public transport is a prerequisite of comprehensive social inclusion – in both rural and urban regions. Every day in Germany, around 30 million people use public transport. Strengthening local public transport is therefore one of my key priorities as German Minister of Transport.

The desire to be independently mobile is a wish that people cherish throughout their lives. They want to enjoy mobility that is as unrestricted as possible, and today this is unimaginable without local public transport. At the same time, local public transport is a prerequisite of comprehensive social inclusion – in both rural and urban regions. Every day in Germany, around 30 million people use public transport. Strengthening local public transport is therefore one of my key priorities as German Minister of Transport.

The desire to be independently mobile is a wish that people cherish throughout their lives. They want to enjoy mobility that is as unrestricted as possible, and today this is unimaginable without local public transport. At the same time, local public transport is a prerequisite of comprehensive social inclusion – in both rural and urban regions. Every day in Germany, around 30 million people use public transport. Strengthening local public transport is therefore one of my key priorities as German Minister of Transport.

It is essential that we ensure a wide range of good public transport services covering the whole country, and it is becoming increasingly important that these services be made access – ible. For people with disabilities, more than for anyone else, barrier-free access is of tremendous import ance. Worldwide, there are over one billion people with disabilities. In Germany, the figure is approximately 9.6 million, which is about one in eight of the population.

As our society ages, the issue of accessibility is attracting more and more attention. Elderly people are more frequently mobility-impaired than younger people. If we are to continue to be able to provide them with a comprehensive range of mobility services, we need public transport that takes this into account. Thus, given the increasing number of senior citizens, accessible mobility must become a matter of course.

The Federal Government’s policy decisions – including those it takes in the transport sector – are guided by ambitious standards such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which is also binding in Germany. In implementing the Convention, the Federal Government is committed to coopera – ting closely with stakeholders and has developed an action plan with the participation of disabled persons’ associations. Mobility, and the action required in this area, is one of the major priorities of this action plan.

In Germany, accessibility is a major criterion in all schemes to construct new or convert existing transport facilities and in investment in public transport. However, we also know that seamless accessibility covering the entire transport system costs a lot of time and money. Given the long service life of existing infra structure and vehicles that were not designed to be accessible, it will only be possible to reduce the backlog gradually or by means of interim solutions. Structural works and vehicles, plus information and communica – tions systems, must progressively be designed such that they can be used by all mobilityimpaired people. We regard the necessary process of adaptation as a permanent task and one that has to be addressed not just by policymakers but by society as a whole.

Germany laid the legal foundations for maximum accessibility 10 years ago by passing the Act on Equal Opportunities for Disabled Persons. Since then, major federal legislation – the Carriage of Passengers Act, the Civil Aviation Act and the Construction and Operation of Railways Regulations – has been adapted to the requirements of accessibility that is as farreaching as possible. Detailed implementation is now the responsibility of the local transport operators, in particular. This also includes the conclusion of target agreements with disabled persons’ associations.

In this context, the European regulatory framework governing passenger rights has a major role to play. What exists now are separate EU passenger rights regulations for all modes of transport, which also provide special rights for people with reduced mobility. The most recent regulations to be adopted were those governing maritime/inland waterway transport and bus/coach transport. The former entered into force and became applicable in December 2012. The latter will do so in March 2013. #

In the federal system of Germany, the federal states are also called on to act, because it is they who are responsible for planning, organising and funding local public transport. The Federal Government provides significant financial assistance to the federal states, as well as local authorities and transport operators, for instance by funding research projects.

One such project that is an example of good practice is the compendium entitled ‘Barrier-Free Local Public Transport in Germany’, which draws together the research findings of the Research Association for Underground Transportation Facilities (STUVA). This research project was made possible through the financial assistance provided by my Ministry. The aim was to identify, assess and describe the high level of development reached by measures to ensure accessibility in local public transport. This compendium is designed to encourage people to make comprehensive use of the valuable findings on the national and inter national stage. We explicitly want them to copy these examples! In its second edition, the guide is available to all those who bear political, administrative or technical responsibility for local public transport: Because accessible public transport must become a matter of course to ensure that everyone enjoys a maximum degree of unrestricted mobility and social inclusion.

 

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