Understanding Obstacles and Facilitators of Current and Future Public Transport Solutions for People with Various Disabilities

The Global Goals emphasize the significance of providing accessible and sustainable transport systems for all citizens, especially those in vulnerable situations. Public transport is considered particularly important for disabled people, who can have more limited access to other modes of transport. Despite active efforts to remove barriers in public transport, widespread challenges remain. The shift to a more sustainable mobility includes facilitating digitalisation and multimodality to accelerate the shift, which raises major concerns for the risk of a so-called extended ‘digital divide’. The project proposal is developed from conversations with representatives of both the disability rights movement and public transport (during 2020-2022). The project aims to gain a deeper understanding of obstacles and facilitators of current and future public transport solutions for people with various disabilities, and to identify measures for supporting a more sustainable and accessible public transport system. The project includes a focus on a variety of obstacles and co-production involving both the disability movement and public transport stakeholders. The results will contribute to an increased understanding of how public transport actors can better incorporate different groups in the planning process and to an increased understanding of public transport as a means of enhancing social sustainability.