Best and Bad Practices in Public Transport: Approaches to a Barrier-free Design for the Visually and Hearing Impaired

Editorial information: Proceedings of the European Transport Conference, October 2013, Frankfurt, Germany  orgaised by The Association for European Transport. 

The paper was created as part of the project “MoViH – Mobility of visually and hearing impaired people in public transport” (Vienna University of Economics and Business).

An increased awareness of the visually and hearing impaired is important because the two groups are by far the largest in Austria in relation to other disabled groups, amounting to approximately 320,000 and 202,000 people, respectively.

The article deals with “best and bad practices” conveys ideas as to which solutions provide real benefits for the visually and hearing impaired and which approaches, although well-intentioned, are ultimately not feasible.

Fifty illustrations of best and bad practices refer to destination displays, notices, announcements, displays and monitors, signposting, ticket vending machines, interior design, exterior design of vehicles, visual (tactile) guidance systems, doors in stations, lifts, floor markings and construction site safety, glass fronts, and trained personnel.