Transport for LondonOlympic access proposals should improve travel for disabled people
London is a world-class city and deserves world-class transport
Its Accessible Transport Strategy, as it is known, aims to improve the commuting experiences of disabled people by the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012.
'London is a world-class city and deserves world-class transport,' said Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.
'The 2012 Olympic Games gives us a deadline to deliver the necessary changes, on top of what we are already achieving, and the Paralympics Games will help us focus on making the network more accessible for those who find travelling in the Capital difficult.'
The areas to be addressed incorporate access, lifts, clear signage and easy-to-find facilities.
In addition to improving the travelling experiences of disabled passengers, parents with young children, older people, first-time visitors, or people who do not speak English, may also benefit from the changes.
Based on previous olympics it's estimated that, on the busiest day of the competition, as many as 23,000 ticket holders could be people who would experience difficulty using stairs and escalators.
Sebastian Coe, Chair of the 2012 Organising Committee, said: 'There are a wide range of people who have accessibility needs, and we want to make travelling for all of them better and easier...not only for the period of the Games, but also to leave a lasting legacy.'
One plan being considered is an interactive journey planner to highlight the most accessible parts of the transport network, so that disabled people can make better informed choices about a full range of travel options open to them.
Other concepts include the provision of low counters at ticket offices, extra manoeuvring space for wheelchairs, up-to-the-minute accessible travel information, as well as parking spaces and park and ride schemes for Blue Badge holders.
John Armitt, Olympic Delivery Authority chairman, said: 'The Accessible Transport Strategy is based on a fundamental belief that spectators with different levels of mobility or impairment should be able to travel easily, unaided if possible.'
What TfL's doing
Transport for London (TfL) is working with Londoners to deliver a more accessible transport network.
Progress made so far includes:
- Forty-eight step-free Tube stations compared with 38 in 2002
- All buses and licensed taxis are now wheelchair accessible
- The iBus system provides audio and visual announcements on buses
- The Travel Assistance Scheme provides useful information that empowers disabled commuters
- Dial-a-Ride taxi users no longer pay fares
- Wide-aisle tickets gates and lower ticket office windows are being introduced across the network
- Disabled people are involved in the day-to-day planning of TfL networks in lots of ways, including via the Independent Disability Advisory Group, staff networks and customer feedback
