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Accessible bus stops in London double since 2008

Posted: 11 March 2015 | Katie Sadler, Digital Content Producer, Intelligent Transport

The number of accessible bus stops in London has risen by more than 50 per cent since 2008, according to figures announced today by The Mayor and Transport for London (TfL). In 2013 TfL invested £18m to speed up the bus stop accessibility programme. Recent figures suggest this has helped increase accessibility from 29 per […]

Accessible bus stops in London double since 2008

The number of accessible bus stops in London has risen by more than 50 per cent since 2008, according to figures announced today by The Mayor and Transport for London (TfL).

Accessible bus stops in London double since 2008

In 2013 TfL invested £18m to speed up the bus stop accessibility programme. Recent figures suggest this has helped increase accessibility from 29 per cent in 2008 to 80 per cent throughout the Capital. At this current rate, TfL hopes at least 95 per cent of bus stops on London’s roads will be accessible by 2016. However, a significant proportion of the Capital’s 19,500 bus stops are not on the TfL Road Network (TLRN). TfL aims to work with local authority partners to achieve a 99 per cent accessibility rate by 2016.

Bus stop accessibility is determined by kerb height. Wheelchairs must be able to board using the deployed ramp and the step at a reasonable height for older or disabled people to board. It also means there’s a protected ‘clearway’ so only buses can use the stop and it is free from any street furniture or clutter blocking access to the doors. Currently all 8,700 TfL buses are fitted with wheelchair ramps.

TfL and the Mayor are currently implementing a £18m funding strategy improving accessibility across the wider transport network– including a further 28 step-free London Underground and London Overground stations over the next 10 years. To date £8.4m of the £18m has been used to fund these accessibility works with around £5m expected to be invested in both 2015/16 and in 2016/17.

Isabel Dedring, Deputy Mayor for Transport commented on today’s figures: “We are now well on our way to reaching the 95 per cent target for accessible bus stops as set out in the Mayor’s accessibility action plan. Of course, we will be working hard to look for ways to go beyond this target, but this is an important step forward in giving all Londoners the freedom to travel around our city more easily.”

TfL’s Managing Director of Surface Transport, Leon Daniels said: We continue to do all that we can to improve in this area and to ensure that our staff and services meet all accessibility needs – reaching the 80 per cent milestone for bus stop accessibility is a significant step. London has the most accessible bus fleet in the world with each of its 8,700 buses low floor, wheelchair accessible and fitted with a wheelchair ramp.”

Janet Cooke, Chief Executive of London TravelWatch also commented on today’s findings:  “Over the last few years we have been pushing for improvements to be made at bus stops so that they meet the needs of all passengers so it is very good news that 80 per cent of London’s bus stops are now accessible. However, there is still more work to be done and we look forward to supporting TfL and the London Boroughs as they work towards their target of making 95 per cent of all London’s bus stops accessible by 2016.”

95 per cent of London residents live within 400 metres of a bus stop, the majority of these are now accessible to all bus passengers, including wheelchair users.

Transport for London will be providing a by-lined feature-length article about the ongoing bus stop accessibility programme as part of Intelligent Transport’s forthcoming Station Development Supplement in Issue 3 2015 published in June. To ensure you receive the issue in print, sign-up for free now at www.eurotransportmagazine.com/subscriptions.

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