Assessment of Needs and Existing Solutions for Target Users with Disabilities
On May 31, 2024, a workshop was held with the representatives of the Union of the Blind in Bulgaria at the conference hall of Karin Dom, Varna. The workshop aimed to assess the current needs and challenges faced by people with disabilities, particularly in relation to transportation services, and to evaluate existing solutions available to them. The event saw the participation of 12 individuals, including representatives from BATTI (Bulgarian Association for Transport and Transport Infrastructure), alongside Karin Dom staff, who regularly work with children with reduced mobility or other special needs.
Discussion Highlights and Key Findings
The workshop was organized to gather firsthand insights and personal experiences from people with visual and mobility impairments who regularly navigate different types of transportation. The feedback focused on air, urban, and water transport, as well as road infrastructure and accessibility at transport terminals.
1. Assessment of the Legislative Framework
Participants agreed that while the legislative framework governing transport services for people with disabilities is generally well-established, enforcement remains a significant issue. For all types of transport—air, urban, and water—there is a noticeable lack of compliance with the laws. The group emphasized that stronger monitoring measures and more severe penalties for non-compliance could help improve the situation.
2. Suggested Improvements
Across all transport types, the participants identified the following areas requiring improvement:
- Infrastructure Enhancements: Better design and construction of infrastructure to facilitate easier access for individuals with disabilities.
- Employee Training: Greater emphasis on training staff to assist people with disabilities, ensuring a higher level of service and understanding.
- Technology Integration: The introduction of new technologies, such as digital apps and assistive devices, to improve the transport environment.
3. Overall Quality of Transport Services
When asked to rate the overall quality of the transport services they use, participants gave a poor rating. They noted the urgent need for improvements in terms of accessibility, reliability, and inclusivity.
4. Common Travel Difficulties
- Air Transport: The biggest challenge identified was the lack of accessible navigation at airports, particularly the difficulty of orienting oneself within terminals and the issues faced before boarding a plane.
- Urban Transport: Visually impaired passengers highlighted challenges in identifying buses and navigating bus and railway stations. They noted the absence of appropriate infrastructure and the lack of reliable information systems.
- Water Transport: While not many participants had used water transport, those who had mentioned that it was either unavailable or deemed unsafe for people with disabilities, resulting in avoidance of this type of transport.
5. Accessibility of Road Infrastructure
- Air Transport: The absence of tactile aisles at airports was a major concern.
- Urban Transport: Participants pointed out several problems:
- Tactile paths and pedestrian routes are often obstructed by trees, buildings, or bicycles.
- Municipal scooters and bicycles are left in unmarked spaces, causing additional obstacles.
- The lack of accessible lanes for electric wheelchairs and the unsafe integration of such wheelchairs with general traffic posed significant risks.
- Public Amenities: The lack of proper maintenance of infrastructure such as pedestrian crossings, tactile paths, and traffic lights (e.g., malfunctioning blind buttons) further exacerbates the difficulties.
6. Accessibility at Transport Terminals
Participants highlighted several issues with access to terminals:
- Airports: The absence of tactile paths and lack of assistance during the boarding process makes air travel particularly challenging. Participants noted that flight attendants or ramp agents should be available to help passengers navigate to the plane.
- Urban Transport: At bus stops and train stations, there are often no functional audio systems, and signage tends to be confusing or inaccessible. The lack of tactile paths and sound systems at railway stations also makes orientation difficult.
7. Vehicle Accessibility
- Air Transport: There is a lack of escalator-type platforms to assist passengers with mobility issues when boarding airplanes, and no special seating arrangements for people with disabilities.
- Urban Transport:
- Buses are often overcrowded, making boarding difficult.
- Electric buses are silent, which presents a danger to visually impaired passengers.
- Ticket machines on buses are not designed for those with visual or mobility impairments, and boarding a train is particularly challenging without assistance.
8. Staff Knowledge and Interaction with People with Disabilities
Participants reported a lack of training among staff, especially in airports and urban transport. While the general attitude is often friendly, employees generally lack specific knowledge on how to assist passengers with disabilities effectively. This results in situations where staff members, for instance, failed to assist a blind person appropriately, or caused discomfort by insisting on using a wheelchair for transport.
9. Quality of Information for People with Disabilities
Participants pointed out several issues:
- Air Transport: Information signs are typically placed too high and in small print, making them difficult to read for passengers with reduced vision. The absence of an accessible app for flight information was also noted.
- Urban Transport: There are inconsistent and often non-functional audio systems at bus stops. The illuminated bus signs frequently fail to work, further complicating navigation for people with visual impairments.
10. Suggestions for Improvement
In addition to the improvements mentioned earlier, participants emphasized the need for:
- Increased Staff Training: Bus drivers and other public transport staff should be further trained to better assist passengers with disabilities.
- Legal and Infrastructure Reforms: There should be a consultation with disability associations before passing laws or implementing new infrastructure projects to ensure that the needs of people with disabilities are adequately addressed.
- Technological Solutions: The integration of new technologies that make transport environments more accessible, such as smart apps for navigation and real-time updates on transport services.
11. Additional Comments and Good Practices
The participants shared several suggestions based on practices that have worked well in other countries:
- Voice Synthesizer at Terminals: A computer system that reads text aloud could significantly assist passengers with visual impairments.
- Specialized Transport Vehicles: At airports, small buses could be made available specifically for passengers with special needs.
- Synchronized Information Boards: Combining sound and visual information on a single board would provide more accurate and useful data.
- Remote Devices for Bus Number Identification: The reactivation of remote devices that announce which bus is coming, previously used by visually impaired passengers, was recommended.
- Reserved Seats in Trains: It was suggested that every first seat in train carriages be reserved for passengers with special needs.
- Promoting Social Services: Participants emphasized the need for better promotion of social services that offer mobility assistance for people with disabilities.
Conclusion
The workshop revealed significant gaps in the accessibility of transport systems for people with disabilities, both in terms of infrastructure and service quality. However, it also highlighted a strong willingness to improve these systems through legal reforms, better training, and the adoption of new technologies. The valuable insights provided by the participants will inform future initiatives aimed at making transport more inclusive and accessible for people with disabilities.