Are we there yet? Barriers to transport for disabled people in 2023
Our research into disabled people's experiences of transport in England: the barriers we face, and priorities for change.
Are we there yet? Barriers to transport for disabled people (2023)
This report presents highlights of the findings from research carried out by Transport for All during 2022 and 2023. This included a literature review and a series of qualitative workshops, which were used to design a survey with 150 questions. The survey asked respondents to share their experiences of making journeys between September 2021 and September 2022. Following the survey, in July and August 2023 we ran a second series of qualitative workshops to test the policy recommendations and conclusions that had come from the survey analysis.
Background
Throughout our work campaigning for transport justice, a question we are often asked by decision makers is ‘Where is the evidence?’ Data can be a powerful influencing tool, and there are clearly gaps in the current literature that can hinder change. Where research exists, it can fail to interrogate the reasons behind travel patterns: do we use public transport less out of choice, or necessity, and what implications does this have for both policy development and the allocation of funding?
One of the foundational principles of the disability rights movement is ‘Nothing about us without us’. Yet as a community, we are almost never given a real seat at the table. Therefore, when asked ‘where is the data’, we say this: disabled people have been speaking up about our experiences and the barriers we face for decades. The evidence of our lived experiences is there, but for change to happen we must be listened to and believed.
This new report is part of Transport for All’s sustained efforts to remedy this injustice by putting the spotlight on our community’s experiences and voices, and documenting the barriers we face and what needs to change. Now, the transport industry must listen and act to deliver transport justice for disabled people.
Access the report
There are two versions of the report. The shorter highlights report (15,000 words) presents the key findings and focusses on the barriers disabled people face to using different modes of transport. The highlights report is available as a designed PDF, a text-only word document, large print (16 pt), Easy Read, and in British Sign Language (BSL).
The full report is longer (50,000 words) and presents the detailed findings from our research, including the barriers as well as what works well, impacts, and disabled people’s priorities for change.
Our policy recommendations are included in both versions.
Please see below for links to download or view your preferred version.
Highlights report
Our Highlights Report presents the key findings of our research, focussing on the barriers disabled people face accessing transport, and our recommendations.
Full report
The full report (50,000 words) presents detailed findings of our research, including barriers to transport, what works well, impacts, and priorities for change.
