Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism
This page features disability news on Mobility, Travel, Transport and Tourism from the Debrief Library. See also news on other subjects.
Overview
International
10 Most Accessible Cities features some big capitals including some cities I did not think of as very accessible. (link to pdf, Nov, Valuable 500)
Global Trends Report on Making Travel Inclusive for All (link to pdf, Oct, Valuable 500)
‘It’s not the waiting, it’s the indignity’: disabled passengers tell of air travel torment. (Jun, the Guardian)
Fostering an inclusive urban transport system. Survey on inclusion from 20 public-transport operators around the world. They found that there were initiatives for inclusion but they were usually not integrated. (Feb, McKinsey)
Experts at Dubai summit seek better travel facilities and accessibility for 'people of determination' worldwide (Jan, Gulf News)
Australia
Australia misses 20-year public transport accessibility target as many train and tram networks fail people with disabilities. One source estimated “at best 50 per cent compliance to [accessible public transport] standards”. (Jan, ABC News)
Web Guide for Disability Access to Australian Beaches (Jun, Accessible Beaches)
Left behind: the fight for accessible public transport in Victoria | Victoria | The Guardian (Jun, the Guardian)
‘We’re not a priority’: people with disabilities wait up to three hours for transport in regional Queensland. (Apr, the Guardian)
‘You can make money out of us’ the disabled people demanding more accessible travel and tourism (Dec, the Guardian)
Canada
People with disabilities bearing the brunt of travel woes: “Whereas a lost or damaged suitcase is an inconvenience, a lost or damaged mobility device robs people of their dignity, their mobility, and their independence, and it can pose a risk to their health. This is far more than an inconvenience. In many cases, it may be a violation of fundamental human rights.” (Oct, Canadian Human Rights Commission)
Chile
Association of the Blind demands that the government take responsibility for the death of the person who fell onto the metro track. (In Spanish, Sep, ElMostrador)
Egypt
Egyptians with disabilities enjoy swimming at dedicated Mediterranean beach (Jul, Global Times)
Germany
A lawyer sues the Ministry of Transport to ensure access to trains. (in German, Feb, Rollstuhl Kurier)
Greece
Acropolis in Athens Becomes Accessible to Visually Impaired Visitors. (Nov, GTP)
Cooperation Protocol signed with the Ministry of Tourism to promote accessible tourism. (in Greek, Mar, National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities)
India
The long fight for accessible buses in Chennai (Jan, Citizen Matters, Chennai)
Diary of a wheelchair traveller: 7 accessible spaces in India (Dec, Money Control)
Representation to West Bengal Transport Authorities on procurement of accessible, low floor buses. (Mar, Freedom of Movement Coalition)
Israel
Making Israel’s history and heritage accessible for all (Feb, Jerusalem Post)
Japan
Japan’s Transit System and its efforts on disability access (Jun, Bloomberg)
Jordan
People with disabilities see long road ahead to accessible public transport (Nov, Jordan Times)
Netherlands
This tiny Dutch vehicle for people with disabilities is taking off: “a compact four-wheeled, two-seat microcar that's unlocking micromobility”. (Dec, MIT Technology Review)
An interview about Haltebuddy: personalizing accessibility information in public transport. (Jan, Amserdam Intelligence)
New Zealand
Not Built For Me: Freedom, frustration in navigating public transport with a disability (Mar, Stuff)
Poland
What if I were to take your place a short advertisement that starts of sexy and ends up... well you'll have to watch it for the twist. See some background on Red Pepper.
Portugal
For Diogo, There's a new Metro station in Lisbon. (in Portuguese, May, #Lisboa Para Pessoas)
Tanzania
Long-Distance Coaches, Trains and City Buses Ignore Persons with Disabilities (Dec, Tanzania Times)
United Kingdom
Accessible Electric Vehicle Charging (Jan, Motability)
A Disability-Inclusive Micromobility Charter the result of roundtables discussing micro-mobility transport options such as electric scooters. (Jan, Open Inclusion)
How can electric vehicles be made more accessible to disabled people? (Sep, Environment Journal)
‘I have to plan for if I am stranded, if I am dropped, if my chair is damaged’: the perils of travelling while disabled. (Aug, the Guardian)
Disabled passengers bearing brunt of travel disruption (Jun, the Guardian)
Disabled campaigners are to thank for accessibility on the Elizabeth Line “A decade ago, Transport for All campaigned hard for the Line to be accessible, and were successful in securing £33 million additional investment to make this happen” (May, Transport for All) The Elizabeth Line will make a big difference for me in getting across London. Can't wait to try it out.
Death of blind man hit by train ruled accident. ‘Matt Stringer, chief executive of the Royal National Institute of Blind People, said the death "was not an isolated incident".’ (May, BBC) See also other experiences and reflections on access issues at train stations.
United States
One Way to a Better City: Ask Disabled People to Design It. David Gissen on Designing Cities for Disability (Jan, Curbed)
Disability rights vs. snowy sidewalks: Seattle's annual conversation. (Dec, Crosscut)
Six Things Wheelchair Users Should Know About Autonomous Vehicles (Jul, New Mobility)
Biden administration to announce $1.75 billion in funding to improve rail station accessibility (Jul, CNN)
How Uber and Lyft still fail their disabled passengers. See also a judgement that Uber doesn't have to provide wheelchair-accessible vehicles in every city. (Jul, The Verge) Also on NBC News.
In New York, M.T.A. Vows to Make Subways 95% Accessible. “It Will Take 33 Years.” (Jun, NYT)
Amtrak Pays $2.25 Million to Disabled People Who Were Unable to Access Train Stations (Jan, Newsweek)
How 3 travelers with disabilities or chronic illness navigate the world "These travelers cope with an added layer of worry and logistics. Here’s how they do it." (Jan, Washington Post)
Accessible Cars Aren’t Born, They’re Made "Car buyers looking for specific mobility features have limited options, but customizers and manufacturers are trying to change that." (Jan, Wired)
Good to see that in NYC the pilor shared e-scooter scheme included possibility to rent wheelchairs or mobility scooters. (Jan, NYC Scooter Share)
Uzbekistan
Inaccessible public transportation a video of a wheelchair user not managing to get on buses explained on twitter. (in Uzbek, no subtitles, Jun)
Air Travel
International
Why Accessibility is Essential for Air Travel efforts to “move the priority of accessible air travel” and their inclusion in the latest Airport Handling Manual. (Mar, IATA)
New bill aims to improve transparency around disability-related air travel complaints. (Feb, Changing America)
How airline Apps let down blind passengers “Only one major UK airline’s App works with screenreaders for the blind” (May, Which)
Australia
Australia’s airlines and airports urged to improve treatment of travellers with disabilities. (Feb, the Guardian)
‘This was indignity’: passenger with disability left without wheelchair at Sydney airport. (Jul, the Guardian)
Canada
Flight Attendant Refuses to Store Passenger's Wheelchair. the story unfolds on TikTok. (Mar, Distractify)
Toronto woman with disability says flying Air Canada made her feel like an 'unwanted burden' (Feb, CBC)
Airlines can't seem to safely transport my wheelchair, but they've found a way to move horses by air. (Nov, CBC)
Air Canada broke my $30,000 motorized wheelchair. Here’s what happened next (Oct, Toronto Life)
Europe
Why Flying Is A Nightmare For Wheelchair Users: “The worst part of flying for me is spending the journey anxiously waiting to see if my wheelchair has made it safely to the other side.” (Jan, Huffpost)
Ghana
Disability Advocates Appeal to Ghana Airport Company to investigate mistreatment of people with disabilities. (Aug, Disability News Africa)
India
IndiGo staff 'abandons' visually impaired flyer. (Mar, Times of India)
India's aviation authority adds new disability rule for airlines. (Jul, Disability Insider) See also from NDTV and an example of air India failing to deliver a wheelchair at destination airport (Jul, Dignified Flying for Disabled).
Passengers with special needs: “A wheelchair is not what my sister needs at an airport” (Jul, The Indian Express)
Anger after India airline IndiGo removes disabled teenager “India's aviation minister has said he is investigating a domestic airline after it allegedly refused to let a disabled teenager board its flight.” (May, BBC)
Nigeria
Mainstream Disability Inclusion In Aviation Policies (Jan, Independent NG)
We shall picket airports plans to protest against lack of access in airports and airlines. (Nov, Inclusive News)
Calls Mount For Nigerian Airports To Be Made More Accessible (May, Inclusive News Network)
United Kingdom
A campaign for Rights on flights it’s time for the air travel industry to take Disabled people seriously. (Feb, Disability Rights UK)
Heathrow and other airports criticised by watchdog after disabled passengers missed summer flights. (Dec, the Guardian)
Airports must stop failing disabled passengers, says UK regulator. (Jun, the Guardian)
United States
Austin Jailer Breaks Elderly Deaf Woman’s Arm at Airport “what was supposed to be a three-hour layover at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport turned into an arrest, a weekend in the Travis County Jail, and an arm broken by a jailer and left untreated for three days.” (Mar, The Austin Chronicle)
Gaby Assouline dies one year after being ‘thrown’ from Southwest Airlines walkway. (Jan, NY Post)
Start-up Targets Sustainable and Accessible Regional Airliner that can accommodate wheelchairs inside the cabin. (Feb, Future Flight)
Short video accompanying air travel: Flying Has Become Hell for Passengers with Wheelchairs. (Jan, Vice)
The airline passengers getting 'unacceptable' treatment. 'If I reported every incident, I'd never leave the airport' (Nov, CNN)
Ideas abound as the Department of Transport eyes wheelchairs in the aircraft cabin. (Aug, Runway Girl Network)
Embarrassing, Uncomfortable and Risky: A photo-essay feature on what flying is like for passengers who use wheelchairs. (Aug, NYT)
The Department of Transport Announces First-Ever Bill of Rights for Passengers with Disabilities. The Bill of Rights describes 10 rights for airline passengers with disabilities. (Jul, Department of Transportation)