Speaker
Description
Addressing the needs of the visually impaired is crucial for achieving social inclusion and sustainable development. However, few research studies examine the equity of public transport resource allocation from the perspective of the visually impaired, specifically concerning accessibility of supportive physical settings in public transport systems, such as tactile paving, wheelchair access, and physical and sensory indicators.
Therefore, his study analyses the equitable allocation of public transport facilities for the visually impaired and examines the essential built environment aspects affecting their access to public transport in the central city of Shanghai. We employ the Double Diamond Innovation Model, concluding that the equity of Shanghai's public transport resources garnered a total assessment score of 72 out of 100. This score reflects a deficiency in sufficient attention and satisfaction for specific populations, including the visually impaired, across multiple dimensions such as resource distribution, facility design, and information accessibility. The score attained for the homogeneity of the tactile guide pathways was 65 points. This score reflects inadequacies in the design and implementation of tactile guide paths in Shanghai concerning their integration with the urban transportation network, path continuity, signage clarity, and maintenance conditions, thereby obstructing visually impaired individuals from reliably and safely reaching bus stops or subway entrances during independent travel. The score attained for the consistency of accessibility features in public transport vehicles was 78 points. Although some buses and tube cars are equipped with accessible facilities such as wheelchair ramps, securing devices, and audio guide systems, the overall availability of these elements necessitates improvement. Moreover, the usefulness, stability, and maintenance of certain facilities require enhancement to ensure that visually impaired individuals can effectively benefit from accessible travel.
Secondly, to achieve a deeper understanding of the factors that restrict public transport accessibility for the visually impaired, we collected additional questionnaire data and constructed a random forest regression.
A regression study indicated that three primary factors greatly affect the public transportation experience of visually impaired individuals: the incorporation of tactile guide paths with transportation facilities, the presence of barrier-free amenities, and the linguistic guidance system.The research findings indicate that the distribution of public transport resources for the visually impaired in urban areas remains significantly inequitable.The presence of accessible facilities and the efficacy of language-guiding systems are crucial elements in enhancing the sustainable public transport environment for those with visual impairments.Moreover, public transport vehicles ought to be fitted with wheelchair fastening mechanisms and audio guiding systems to improve travel accessibility for visually impaired users. Moreover, the enhancement of guiding systems at public transport stops should be prioritised to provide a more accessible and user-friendly travel experience through aural and tactile cues for visually impaired passengers. This strategy is essential for achieving an inclusive and sustainable urban transport system, guaranteeing equitable and convenient transit services for all individuals.
The findings of this study can guide the improvement of the design and construction methods for transport facilities, consequently optimising the urban accessibility system and promoting a conducive travel environment for those with visual impairments.
| Keywords | equity;accessibility;public transportation resource allocation;visually impaired |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
