Around 18 percent of the Australian population is estimated to have one or more disabilities, and 73 percent of these report that they experience mobility limitations. This report examines the state-of-the-art in providing transport for people with disabilities. The types of transport handicaps experienced will vary dependent upon the particular disability. Transport handicaps are estimated to result in people with disabilities making roughly one third the number of trips outside the home than non-disabled people. Transport Authorities within Australia have been requested to complete action plans, which will document the process that service providers will undertake in order to achieve full accessibility, by June 1998. Two states (Western Australia and South Australia) have registered their action plans with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission (HREOC) and all states and territories have programs in place to facilitate transport access for people with disabilities. Accessibility solutions can relate to architecture, technology or training. The types of solutions implemented and the priority order in which they are addressed will vary according to the current condition of the transport system, whether infrastructure is to be replaced or merely upgraded, the population to be served and financial considerations. (A)
Abstract