On website Euroforum published a study «(In)accessible transport infrastructure and vehicles. What Can the EU Do to Improve?», which summarizes the main problems in this area and suggests solutions.
There is no doubt that at the EU level we have made progress in recent years in terms of transport accessibility. Not only do we have passenger rights in all modes of transport, but we also have requirements for rail accessibility and some obligations for bus accessibility. More recently, the European Accessibility Act introduced legal standards for websites, apps and self-service terminals used in transport.
We also host the European Commission's annual Access City Awards, which recognize best practices in the development of accessible cities, including those with a strong transport component. While this is an important tool for raising awareness and demonstrating the possibilities of creating accessible urban transport infrastructure, we also know that, unfortunately, this is not the case for all EU cities.
In fact, using public transportation is still often a challenge, limiting the freedom of people with disabilities to go where they want, when they want. Cities are purchasing new electrified bus fleets, but they lack basic accessibility features. New tram stops are built, but they do not match the old tram fleet, making the service inaccessible to wheelchair users.
These are just a few examples. And we're still debating the basic element of accessibility, despite all the progress that has been made over the years. Here are some thoughts:
- Lack of common European rules for the accessibility of public transport and infrastructure, including subways, light rail, trams, and bus stops. While bus operations are partially covered by EU regulations, this is not sufficient, and there are no EU-wide requirements or rules on how to make other modes of transport accessible. The result is a patchwork of national, regional and local solutions that often result in a lack of accessibility. It is extremely frustrating that some cities and municipalities are still purchasing vehicles and building bus stops that are not accessible to people with disabilities, even though other cities have done a much better job of doing so in the past.
- Insufficient understanding of accessibility by government agencies and product manufacturers. According to the EU Public Procurement Directive, cities or municipalities wishing to purchase new city buses may include an accessibility criterion in the tender and give preference to accessibility over price.
However, the technical specifications attached to tender proposals are sometimes not clear enough, as municipalities lack expertise in accessibility factors. On the other hand, vehicle manufacturers or construction companies also sometimes lack the necessary understanding to implement these specifications well.
- Lack of understanding of how EU funds are spent on infrastructure projects. Mechanism Connection Europe Facility (CEF) is an EU transport infrastructure financing instrument. The regulations governing this instrument clearly state that funding for accessibility of infrastructure is eligible, and accessibility is included in the criteria for evaluating proposals. However, there is no specific data on how much funding is actually allocated to creating accessible infrastructure. The regulation also does not prohibit the construction of new infrastructure that does not meet accessibility requirements.
These challenges imply solutions to address the problem. We propose some of them so that the level of mobility in cities can become higher in the future, ensuring inclusiveness and accessibility:
а) EU legislation should be revised or new laws should be developed on the accessibility of transport infrastructure and vehicles, including urban transportation. It would be advisable to incorporate into the European Accessibility Act the existing legislation regulating the use of specific modes of transport. More information can be found in our position paper on the following actions European strategy on the rights of people with disabilities from 2025.
б) Create a new decentralized regulatory European agency for accessibility, which will build on the work of the center AccessibleEU and would be developed on the basis of its results to support the implementation of harmonized EU legislation and contribute to the movement towards a more accessible Europe. Such an agency could support Member States and municipalities by providing practical advice on how to make public transport more accessible.
в) Develop EU guidelines for procurement of urban public transport systems. Such documents should provide local authorities with technical advice and best practices for the procurement of accessible vehicles and public transport infrastructure (trams, subways, taxis, buses), defining minimum accessibility characteristics that should be included in the tender documents. These characteristics should take into account not only physical accessibility, but also the clarity of signs, maps and instructions, as well as clear station and stop announcements to facilitate passenger navigation.
г) EU funding should no longer be directed to transportation infrastructure projects that are difficult to access. In the next EU multi-annual budget, which will also include a review of the Connecting Europe mechanism, a provision should be added to the regulation that would allow funding only for transport infrastructure projects that include accessibility elements. New or renovated railway stations or airports should be accessible by default.
д) It is advisable to use sustainable urban mobility plans more actively, which are already mandatory for 431 cities and municipalities in the EU. As part of these plans, cities have to report on specific indicators, including accessibility for people with reduced mobility. We hope that over the next five years, urban public transport will be at the center of EU policy, with concrete measures to improve accessibility.
