The Grenoble tramway is the first surface mass-transit system in France that is designed to be accessible to wheelchair users and to others with a mobility handicap. The principle objective of the study is to evaluate the extent to which this new means of urban Public Transport is used by disabled people, and to investigate the impact of a totally accessible service on their travel behaviour, as well as the reasons for some handicapped people not using the tramway. The research was carried out in three phases: a questionnaire survey, carried out on the tramway of passengers who manifestly had a mobility problem (of a permanent or temporary nature); a questionnaire survey of users of special services, (partly interviewer- administered on board the minibuses, and partly postal); and interviews with management and planning staff of the network operator. The sample population of 138 disabled people interviewed at Spring 1989 is described in terms of: characteristics in relation to mobility and type of handicap and travel behaviour with respect to the use of tramway (purpose of journeys, frequency of use, origins and destinations). The discussion of the information provided by this study will highlight disabled people's appreciation of the service, and lead to recommendations for improvements in the functioning and structure of the network.
Samenvatting