The population in the Netherlands is aging. Older people tend to grow old in place. This is guided by policy measures, for instance subsidies for adapting homes to special needs. It is however striking that the locations of essential services like groceries, drugstore, family doctor, bank or money machine get upscaled out of the neighbourhoods to other, more central locations. As a result travel needs and travel choices will change. Mid-range distances (1 to 7 kilometre) become more important compared to short-range distances. At the same time older people may suffer from health-related limitations. They must often cease walking or using public transport before they cease driving. After losing the ability to drive a car an important part of their mobility needs cannot be met (‘transport poverty’). This study focused on alternative motorised vehicles to support the mobility of disabled people. The following motorised vehicles for disabled people were included in this study: open scootmobiles and 45-kilometer-cars for disabled people (see picture at the left). The maximum dimensions of these vehicles are: 1.10 metres wide, 2 metres tall and 3.50 metres long and the maximum speed inside and outside built-up areas is 30 and 40 km/h, respectively (unless otherwise indicated). Drivers may use the roadway, except roads for cars and motorways, and also on bike paths and footpaths. These vehicles have the same legal status on bicycle paths as cyclists and the same legal status as pedestrians on footpaths. 45-kilometer-cars for disabled people are as expensive as small cars; open scoot mobiles are cheaper. Electric wheelchairs were not part of this study. (Author/publisher)
Abstract