Aalto University School of Science and Technology

Sotera - The Research Institute for Health Care Facilities

IraVermaJohannaHätönenPäiviAro

FUTURE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR ALL Usability and accessibility in station areas

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SoteraDepartmentofArchitectureAaltoUniversitySchoolofScienceandTechnologyP.O.BOX11300,FIN-00076AALTO

Editors IraVerma,JohannaHätönenand PäiviAroPhotos SoteraCopyright © Sotera,AaltoUniversity,School ofScienceandTechnology,Espoo, Finland,2010

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Aalto University School of Science and Technology

Sotera – The Research Institute for Health Care Facilities

IraVermaJohannaHätönenPäiviAro

FUTURE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR ALL Usability and accessibility in station areas

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ABSTRACT04.11.2010

SOTERA, AALTO UNIVERSITYP.O. BOX 113000, FIN-00076 AALTOhttp://www.sotera.fi/

Department / InstitutionDepartment of Architecture

Laboratory

Authors Ira Verma, Johanna Hätönen, Päivi Aro

PublicationFuture Public Transport for All – Usability and Accessibility in Station Areas

Abstract

Regardless of their age and functional capability, access for all user groups is improved by good rail traffic design and improved station accessibility. Safe, accessible public transport benefits all user groups, while helping to meet sustainable development goals and contribut-ing to the creation of a socially sustainable urban environment.

The aim of the Future Public Transport for All Project was to create a comprehensive picture of the accessibility and usability of rail traffic terminals and of solutions impacting on the success of the entire journey. The user study was conducted in co-operation with the Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities, the Finnish Federation of Hard of Hearing, and the Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired. Data was collected via interviews and online questionnaires, as well as observational tours of rail traffic stations with representa-tives of various user groups.

The entire journey was analysed, from the starting point to the final destination. Needs for further development were identified in terms of journey planning, the use of public transport and station accessibility. The study resulted in guidelines on the application of recognised best practices and new planning solutions in creating accessible rail traffic terminals.

The study reveals that rail traffic and public transport would be more widely used if they were safe and accessible. Potential users can be attracted to public transport through improve-ments in communication, the station area, guidance and feeder traffic.

This project formed part of the Tekes Sustainable community technology programme and of Helsinki's Innovative City Programme. The project's main development targets, and the main sources of funding, were the Western Metro and Ring Rail Line. Other participants included the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Finnish Transport Agency, the Cit-ies of Espoo and Vantaa, Finavia, Helsinki City Transport (HKL) and Helsinki Region Transport (HSL).

Keywords - keywords (and categories)Rail traffic terminals, journey, accessibility, usability

Published inEspoo

Month / Year11 / 2010

LanguageFinnish

Pages63

ISBN (printed)978-952-60-3442-3

ISBN (electronic)978-952-60-3443-0

ISSN (printed)1797-352X

ISSN (electronic)1797-8351

Publication's Web address http://www.sotera.fi

Publication seriesPublications on Architecture

Part number or report code2010/108

Distribution of printed copies

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Tableofcontents

TOTHEREADER 6 Participants 7 Steeringgroup 7 Projectgroup 7

BACKGROUND 8 RailtrafficdevelopmentinthegreaterHelsinkiarea 8 Sustainabilityanduser-friendliness 9 Userinformation 10 NewregulationsandEUdirectives 10

USERSTUDY 11 Overview 11 Howtheuserstudywasconducted 11 Resultsoftheonlinequestionnaire 12 Majorusergroup-specifictargetsforimprovement 15

SOLUTIONSANDDEVELOPMENTSUGGESTIONS1 18 Thestationareaanditsimmediatesurroundings 18 Entrance 27 Station 30

SOLUTIONSANDDEVELOPMENTSUGGESTIONS2 44 Signs 44 Incidentsandservicealterations 47

FUTURETARGETSFORIMPROVEMENT 48

SUMMARY 50

REFERENCES 51

INSTRUCTIONCARDS 53

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TotheReader

'TheFuturePublicTransport forAll–Us-abilityandaccessibilityinstationareas'isastudymapping theaccessibilityandus-ability of public transport, particularly railtraffic, for different user groups. An ex-tensiveuserstudywasconductedtomapthe factors either promoting or hinderingtravel.Theaimoftheprojectwastointro-duceuser-orientedsolutionstothedesignofrailtrafficstops,stationsandterminals,and their surroundings.Designobjectivesincludefacilitatingmobilityandorientationinrail trafficareas,whilemakingchangesfromonemeansoftransporttoanotheraseasyaspossible.

Theprojectfocusedontheentirejourney,from itsstartingpoint to thefinaldestina-tion. Factors contributing to a successfulexperience were analysed. Implementingsolutions that promote usability has animpactbothon theoverallaccessibilityofthe environment and the degree of usersatisfaction. Most people who participat-edintheuserstudysaidtheywouldmakegreateruseofpublictransportiftheirneedswerebettermet.Solutions contributing tousabilitywouldenable theelderlypopula-tion, people with small children (prams),personswithreducedmobilityandpeoplewith disabilities to manage independentlyonpublictransport.The study results can be applied in vari-ous ways to rail traffic projects launchedin the near-future. During the project, theeffectsonusabilityandindependenttravel

of design solutions implemented recentlyin someofHelsinki's public transport ter-minals,andinafewEuropeancities,wereevaluated.Stillintheprojectplanningstag-es, theWesternMetroLineand theRingRailLinehavebeenthetargetofactivede-velopment.Inongoingplanningprocesses,thestudyresultshavebeendirectlyimple-mentedthroughinteractionwithdesigners.Applied research and development pro-motesinnovationandthedirectapplicationofnewsolutionsinpractice.

Topersuadeallpotentialusergroupstooptforpublictransport,thismodeoftravelandits appeal must be developed. Land userequirementsissuedbyFinland’senviron-mentaladministration,andthepublictrans-porttargetssetbytheMinistryofTransportandCommunications, canbemet byde-veloping public transport, particularly railtraffic. Furthermore, well-functioning railtraffic would contribute to the creation ofa socially sustainable metropolitan areainthegreaterHelsinkiarea.Improvingtheaccessibilityandusabilityofterminalareaswillhelptocreatepositivetravelexperienc-es, increasing theuseof public transportinturn.

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ThisprojectwasaprivateprojectfinancedbyTekes,withLänsimetroOyastheprimaryapplicant.TheAaltoUniversityDepartmentofArchitecture'sSoteraInstitute(TheRe-searchInstituteforHealthCareFacilities)was commissioned to perform the study.Theproject'ssteeringgroupincludedrep-resentativesoftheresearchgroupandtheinstancesfinancingtheproject.MattiKok-kinen, Managing Director of LänsimetroOy,wasthechairmanofthesteeringgroupand the project co-ordinator. Based on a

prearrangedschedule, thesteeringgroupmettwotothreetimesayear.Theprojectincludedaworkinggroupwhichcomprised representatives from Sotera,theFinnishFederationof theVisually Im-paired, the FinnishAssociation of PeoplewithPhysicalDisabilities,and theFinnishFederationofHardofHearing.Thegroupinvited specialists to make evaluations,give lecturesor toengage in someotherprojectwork,asnecessary.

STEERINGGROUPMattiKokkinen,ManagingDirector,LänsimetroOyArjaAalto,ChiefInspector,theFinnishTransportAgencySinikkaAhtiainen,PublicTransportationCoordinator,CityofEspooTimoErnvall,Professor,AaltoUniversitySchoolofScienceandTechnology,TrafficandTransportTechnologyHannuHuttunen,Professor,AaltoUniversitySchoolofScienceandTechnology,Archi-tectureNinaKarasmaa,ProjectManager,HelsinkiRegionTransport,HSLEmmiKoskinen,TrafficandTransportationEngineer,CityofVantaaHarriLeivo,AccessibilityRepresentative,theFinnishAssociationofPeoplewithPhysicalDisabilitiesKatariinaMyllärniemi,MinisterialAdviser, theFinnishMinistry ofTransport andCom-municationsJariPusa,ProjectManager,FinaviaHanna-LeenaRissanen,AccessibilityRepresentative,theFinnishFederationoftheVis-uallyImpairedMarkoVihervuori,SeniorResearcher,TrafficandTransportation,HelsinkiRegionTrans-port,HSLIraVerma,ProjectManager,AaltoUniversitySchoolofScienceandTechnology,Sotera

PROJECTGROUPIraVerma,ProjectManager,SoteraPäiviAro,Industrialdesigner,PinkoOyJohannaHätönen,ResearchAssistant,SoteraHarriLeivo,theFinnishAssociationofPeoplewithPhysicalDisabilitiesJukkaRasa,theFinnishFederationofHardofHearingHanna-LeenaRissanen/AnnaRuskovaara,theFinnishFederationoftheVisuallyIm-pairedEricaRoselius,LaboratoryofTransportationTechnology,DIworker

PARTICIPANTS

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Figure 2. Stations on the Ring Rail Line

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Background

InAugust 2008, the Ministry ofTransportand Communications, the cities of Hel-sinki,Espoo,VantaaandKauniainenandYTVsignedtheHelsinkiMetropolitanAreaTransport System Plan. Local operatorsproposedtheRingRailLineasthefirstma-jor construction project, with the WesternMetroasthesecond1.ConstructionbeganontheRingRailLine inspring2009.Thelinewillenterserviceinthesecondhalfof2014. Excavations for theWesternMetrowereinitiatedinautumn2009andthelineshouldbeopenedin2015.

Planningofthecurrentmetronetworkbe-gan in1955,when twoproposals tobuildan underground railway in Helsinki wereput to the city council. The city council'spositivedecisionon thiswasrecordedon7May1969.Themetrolinewasfirsttest-edon1June1982and theofficialopen-ingceremonywasheldon2Augustinthesameyear.

RailtrafficdevelopmentinthegreaterHelsinkiarea

Figure 1. Stations of the Western Metro

In the 1910s, Eliel Saarinen and BertelJunghadalreadyaddedsuburbanrailwaytracks to their Helsinki city plans. TheseplanscanbeviewedasanearlymodeloftheFinnishmetrosystem.AgrowingHel-sinkineedednewtrafficconnections.Theaimwas to connectnewneighbourhoodstodowntownHelsinki,whilemakingiteasyfor residents tomove fromonesuburb toanother.DuringWWII,thisissueoftunnelsbecametopical.TunnelsrunningfromthecitycentretowardsKäpyläandNorthHaa-gawoulddoubleasair-raidshelters.

1 Minister of Transport Anu Vehviläinen on 24 November 2009.

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9. 10.Sustainabilityanduser-friendlinessInadditiontoprovidingaconvenientmeth-odof travel, rail trafficoffersasolution tomanyofthechallengesposedbysustain-ability.Expertsagreethat,intermsofsus-tainable development, optimal land useinurbanareas issupportedbyrail traffic.In the Helsinki region, national land useobjectives are aimed at promoting urbanstructuresrelyingonpublictransport,par-ticularlyrailtraffic.2.

In the greater Helsinki area, traffic is re-sponsible for approximately one fifth ofCO2 emissions, only 2% of which is dueto rail traffic. CO2 emissions can be re-duced by promoting public transport andlimiting travelbyprivatecar.Public trans-portcanalsoberenderedmoreattractivebyimprovingtheaccessibilityandusabilityof vehiclesandstations.Additionally, sta-tion surroundings should provide a safelighttrafficnetworkforpedestriansandcy-clists3.

Inadditiontoenergy-efficiencyandreduc-ingtransportemissions,rail trafficplaysarole in thedevelopmentofasociallysus-tainable city. In terms of social equality,everyone should be able to satisfy theirtravelneedsirrespectiveoftheirfinancial,physicalormentalabilities.Thequalityofthe living environment, the availability offunctionsandservicesandtheaccessibilityofthetransportsystemhavebeendefinedasthekeyfactorsinsocialequality.

Populationageingwillincreasetheimpor-tanceofaccessibleandusabletransportinthefuture.Itisestimatedthat,in2030,over25%ofthetotalpopulationwillbeover65yearsold4. Participationpossibilitiescanbe improved by developing the transportsystemtobetteraccommodatetheelderly,personswithreducedmobilityandpeoplewithsensorydisturbances.

After the war, as large numbers of peo-plemovedtoHelsinki,thepublictransportfleet could no longer cope with growingdemand. A suggested solution included"fasttracks"torunundergroundinthecitycentre.Butthetimehadnotyetcomeforsuch projects and support for the metrowasoverwhelmedbyopposition.Negativeexperiences with metro systems abroadhadgeneratedscepticisminFinland."Forthe travellingpublic, journeysbyvehiclesindaylightwerepreferredandconsideredhealthierthantravellingindarkcarsroam-ing through tunnels", comments HansSahlberg, Helsinki CityTransport's (HKL)retiredManagingDirector,onexperiencesabroad.

When Helsinki's Eastern suburbs werebuilt in the1950s, thesubjectofametrosystembecametopicalagain.Poor trafficconnections to the new suburbs and thegrowingnumberofcarsinHelsinkiboostedsupportforametroline.Finally,attheendof the1960s, themainrailway lineswerefinished.CommutertrainswouldrunalongthemainlinestotheWestandNorth,whileametrowouldbebuilttoservetheEasternareasofHelsinki.

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2 Government decision on reviewing national land use objectives, 2008.3 Helsingin pyöräilyn kaksinkertaistamisohjelma, 2004. [A program to double the amount of cycling in Helsinki. 2004].4 Statistics Finland, forecasts on demographic developments.

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Userinformation

User informationisneededtosupportthedevelopmentofterminalareas,andtode-termine passengers' requirements andemerging problems. Users perceive theirjourneyasawholethatshouldfunctionasexpectedfromthestartingpointtothefinaldestination. They evaluate and compareexisting solutions. Finding solutions thatwillmeettheusers'requirementsisataskfor experts. General information on pas-senger numbers, ages, gender, purposeoftraveletc.isneededtosupportdevelop-mentsolutions.

TheFinnishMinistryofTransportandCom-munications, the RailAdministration, Hel-sinkiCityTransport (HKL) andVR-Group(aFinnishtransportcompanyprovidingrailtransportandsupplementaryroadtransportservices)haveeachmappedtheircurrentstatusandissuedguidelinesontheacces-sibilityofstationsandpublictransportinter-changes.Mappingtoolshavebeencreatedfor internal use, while reports have beenintended solely for developing internal

processes.Due to the lackof a commontool, the resultsarenotdirectlycompara-ble.TheFinnishAssociationofPeoplewithPhysicalDisabilitiesandStakes(TechnicalResearch Centre of Finland), for exam-ple,havedevelopedtools for thedetailedevaluationofpublicfacilitiesandservices.Thesetoolscanbeappliedtotheevalua-tionof rail trafficenvironmentsandpublictransportterminals.

Eachrailtrafficstationaccommodatessev-eraloperators,allwith theirownaccessi-bility criteria and objectives. Because thedifferentsectionsofapassenger terminalare administered by different organisa-tions,uniformandholisticdevelopment isa challenge. However, successful travelrequiresuninhibitedaccessthroughoutthejourney.Therefore,general improvementstostationservicesincludeclarifyingthere-sponsibilitiesandproprietaryrelationshipsbetweenvariousoperatorsand improvingco-operation5.

NewregulationsandEUdirectives

New European-wide regulations are be-ing prepared which have implications forFinnishrail traffic.Attheendof2009,theEuropean Commission issued a decisionregardingpersonswithreducedmobilityinregularandhigh-speedrailwaysystems6.Thisdecisionentered into forceon1De-cember2009andwillremainvaliduntilfur-thernotice.

The regulation primarily affects buildingsandpassengerplatformsconstructedinrailtraffic areas, subsequent to its entry intoforce.Althoughthemetrohasbeenexclud-

ed,itislikelythataccessibilityregulationswillsoonaffectundergroundstationstoo.

Inadditiontopersonswithsensorydistur-bances or disabilities, this regulation de-finespersonswithreducedmobilityasin-cludingpeoplewithsmallchildren(prams)or heavy luggage, children, and foreigntouristsunfamiliarwith the language.Theregulationwillthereforeaffectallrailtrafficusersatsomepointoftheirlives.

5 Meriläinen, A. & Somerpalo, S. 2004.6 RTV. 2009. Esteettömyys rautatiejärjestelmässä. [RTV. 2009. Accessibility and the railways.]

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Userstudy

Acomprehensiveuserstudywasconduct-edaspartof theFuturePublicTransportfor All study 7. The aim was to obtain acomprehensiveunderstandingofhowwellrailtrafficfunctionsinthegreaterHelsinkiarea.Inaddition,keydevelopmenttargetswere to be mapped, from the perspec-tive of passengers with reduced mobilityorsensorydisturbances inparticular.Theuserstudywasusedasatoolfordiscover-ingsolutionstofactorspreventingorham-peringtheuseofpublictransport.

Problems and deficiencies experiencedby different user groups were classifiedinto dangerous, inhibitive and hamperingfactors. Factors were also mapped andanalysedwhichcauseuncertaintyor fearduringtransportbyrailandinstationenvi-ronments.

Inthisreport,theresultsoftheuserstudyhave been deployed in defining the bestpractices and design solutions set out inthe 'Solutions and development sugges-tions'sections.

Theanalysisfocusedontheentirejourney,fromplanningtothefinaldestination.Thejourneywasviewedfromtheperspectivesof physical accessibility of the surround-ings, availability of travel information andservices, and implemented practices Ajourneybeingasumofitsparts,thecom-patibility of different parts was analysedfromtheperspectiveofusability.Ajourneycan only be considered accessible if alllinks in thechainareunbrokenand func-tionsmoothly.

Overview

HowtheuserstudywasconductedIn theuserstudy, theusabilityof rail traf-ficwasanalysedtogetherwithpassengerswith reduced mobility, impaired vision orimpaired hearing. Representatives of theFinnishAssociationofPeoplewithPhysi-cal Disabilities, the Finnish Federation oftheVisuallyImpairedandtheFinnishFed-erationofHardofHearingparticipated inthe planning and implementation of theuserstudy.

User informationwascollectedviaanex-tensiveonlinequestionnaire, ininterviewsand during observational tours. 151 per-sons with reduced mobility and sensory

disturbances participated in the onlinequestionnaire.

Duringtheobservationaltours,atotalof22people representingdifferentusergroupswere interviewed. Most interviewees alsoparticipatedinanobservationaltour.Atotalof8observationaltourswereconducted.

Observationaltourswereconductedinrailtraffic stations located in thegreaterHel-sinki area.During the tours, the stations,stops, feeder trafficareas, theavailabilityof travel informationandservicefunction-alitywereassessed.

7 Aro, P. 2009. Yhteenveto pääkaupunkiseudun raideliikenteen käyttäjätutkimuksesta. [AsummaryoftheuserstudyonthegreaterHelsinkiarearailtraffic.]

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ResultsoftheonlinequestionnaireRespondents to the questionnaire whohave impaired vision or hearing were allactiveusersofpublictransport.Ofthere-spondents, persons with impaired visionandreducedmobilitypreferred themetro,while those with impaired hearing wereavid users of the metro and commutertrainsOfallrailtrafficmodes,personswithreducedmobilityusecommuter trains theleast.Personswithimpairedvisionorhear-ingusetramstheleast.Mostrespondents(80%of thosewithreducedmobility,77%of thosewith impaired visionand55%ofthosewithimpairedhearing),wouldtravelby rail significantly or somewhat more, iftravelwaseasier.

As well as the built environment, the ob-staclesencounteredinvariousplacescanconcern the availability of information orservices.Announcementsandtheavailabil-ityofinformationonservicealterationsandincidentshavecausedproblemsformanypassengerswithsensorydisturbances.

Some43per centofpersons respondingtotheonlinequestionnaireavoidrailtrafficif the means of public transport needs tobechangedenroute.Railtravelwasalsoavoided in difficult weather (e.g. freezingtemperatures), when the ground was fro-zen,duringrushhoursandafterdark.

Accordingtothequestionnaireresponses,40%of respondentswith impaired vision,36% of those with reduced mobility and16% of those with impaired hearing useonly familiar routes and rail connectionsthey have already mastered. For somepersons with impaired vision, orientationandmobilityguidanceisnecessaryinunfa-miliarenvironments.Suchpersonsarenotconfidentofmanagingindependentlyonanewroute;newroutesarelearnedwithanassistant.

For persons with impaired hearing, un-clear or missing announcements createdmostproblems.Informationonserviceal-terationsistypicallydeliveredthroughan-nouncements,andpersonswithlowhear-ingdonotreceivethisinformation.Oftherespondents, 43% with impaired hearingand40%withimpairedvisionfearedmiss-inganimportantmessageonservicealter-ations.Furthermore,53%of therespond-entswithimpairedvisionrepliedthattheyhaddisembarkedatthewrongstopduetolackofinformation.Personswithimpairedvision have experienced difficulties in lo-catingthecorrectplatform,stop,liftorve-hicle.Personswithreducedmobilityhaveexperienced problems in locating a lift inthestationarea,andaccessingthestationorplatformwhentheliftisoutoforder.

Factorscausinguncertaintyor fearwhichaffect the reliabilityand imageof rail traf-fic were also mapped. Uncertainty aboutarriving at the destination may prevent ajourney. Some 39% of respondents withreduced mobility were uncertain aboutboardingavehicleindependently.

Allrespondentgroupswantedmoreinfor-mationonaccessibilityforjourneyplanning.23%ofrespondentswerenotsatisfiedwiththeavailabilityof timetablesandroute in-formation. In particular, more informationwasrequiredonnearbyfeedertrafficareas(77%),anyconstructionsitesorroadworkaffecting accessibility (77%) and serv-ice alterations (75%). Most respondentssearchedfortimetableandrouteinforma-tiononlineusingYTV's(HSL,HelsinkiRe-gionalTransportAuthority,since1January2010)JourneyPlanner,forexample.

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Figure3.Obstaclesinrailtrafficenvironments

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YHave you ever encountered obstacles to travel in the following railtraffic or station environments or situations?

Answersinagreement("yes")Comparisonbytargetgroups(%)

46

37

32

28

45

38

30

18

31

44

53

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0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Stationsandplatformsandtheirimmediatesurroundings?

Feederandconnectivetrafficstopsnearthe

station?

Passagewaysinthestation?

Ticketsalesorinformationdesksinthestation?

Liftsorescalatorsinthestation?

Restrooms?

Otherservicesatthestation(cafés,stalls,restaurants,etc.)?

Metroplatforms?

Commutertrainplatforms?

Tramstops?

Whenboardingorexitingavehicle(metro,commuter

trainortram)?

Whiletravellingonavehicle(metro,commuter

trainortram)?

Personswithreducedmobility Personswithimpairedhearing Personswithimpairedvision

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Figure 4. Issues causing anxiety and uncertainty when travelling by rail

Issues causing anxiety and uncertainty when travelling by rail

Comparisonbytargetgroups(%)

28

8

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16

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39

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Iwon'tbeabletocopeindependently

I'llgetlostorendupinawrongdestination

I'llmissmyappointmentorotherreasonfortravel,becauseoftheobstaclesinthebuiltenvironment

I'llmissmyappointmentorotherreasonfortravel,becauseIcannotaccesstimetableorrouteinformation

I'llfall,triporslipontheway

I'lllosemybalanceorfalloftheplatform

Ican'tboardorexitthevehicleindependently

I'llbetrappedbetweenclosingdoors

I'dneedhelp,butno-onewillassistmeduringthejourney

Iwillnotreceiveimportantinformationaboutservicealterations

I'llcausedelaystootherpassengers

I'llnothaveenoughstrengthtoseethetripthrough

Other

Personswithreducedmobility Personswithimpairedhearing Personswithimpairedvision

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Majorusergroup-specifictargetsforimprovement

Improvementneedsinstationareasweredividedaccordingtospecificusergroups.This was done to ensure that equal con-sideration is given to the specific needsof passengers with reduced mobility, im-paired vision, and impaired hearing. Theuser information obtained can be appliedtocreatingsolutionswhichwilleasetravelforallpassengers.

Persons with reduced mobility

In this report,apersonwith reducedmo-bility refers to someonewho has difficul-ties getting around due to an illness ordisability,andwhomay thereforeuseas-sistivedevicessuchasawheelchair.Thedisabilitymaybetemporaryorpermanent.Additionally, people whose mobility hasbeenaffectedbyoldage,pregnancy,smallchildren (prams)or luggagemaybecon-

1. Accessible routes and signs

Themostuser-friendlysolutionwouldbetomakemainpassagesaccessibletoevery-one.Inmanystations,theaccessibleroutetakesadifferent course to themainpas-sage.A lift, rampor accessible entrance,forexample,maybelocatedapartfromthe

An accessible station area benefits eve-ryone. For example, elderly people oftenbenefit from services and improvementsoriginallyintendedforpeoplewithreducedmobilityorsensoryimpairments.

sidered people with reduced mobility. Is-suescausingdifficulties forapersonwithreducedmobility includedifferencesinel-evation,longdistancesandreach.Properreachisoftenanissueforchildren,aswellaspersonsofshortstature. In the follow-ing, major targets are introduced for im-provementseasingtravelforpersonswithreducedmobility,particularlybyrail.

mainpassage.Accessibleroutesareoftenlonger and more complicated than mainpassageways,andsignageispoor.Inpar-ticular,routesandsignageforfeedertrafficareasareproblematic.

2. Improving compatibility between the transport vehicle and the edge of the plat-form

Theleveldifferencebetweenthenew,low-flooredtrammodelsandelevatedplatformsisstilltoolarge,orthegapistoowide,foreasyaccessbywheelchair,electricwheel-chairor scooter.Tramandplatformcom-patibilitymustbe further improved.Sometramstopcanopiesarelocatedsoclosetotheedgeoftheplatformthatitisimpossibletopassunderthecanopybywheelchair.Intermsofusability,tramplatformsareoftentoonarrow.

Older, low-floored commuter trains haveextensible ramps.Although these requirethehelpofaconductor,duringtheobser-vationaltoursitwasnotedthatconductorseitherdidnotalwayshave time tohelpapersonwithreducedmobility,ordidnotal-waysnoticethatassistancewasrequired.

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Persons with impaired vision

A person with impaired vision may havelow vision or be blind. Vision may be re-ducedduetoillnessorinjury.Personswithlowvisionoftensufferfromnightblindnessandaresensitivetoglare.Impairedvision

affectsorientationandmakesitdifficulttoestimatedistancesandheightdifferences.However, most persons with impaired vi-sionareable tosense light,contrastandmovement.

3. Improving the availability of information on accessible travel

1. The effective use and development of standardised sign systems for persons with impaired vision

Itisdifficult,ifnotimpossible,tofindtimeta-bleinformationonlow-flooredconnectionsata commuter train station.Findingsuchinformation is also difficult on the most

popularonlinetimetableandroutesearchservices. In general, too little informationisavailableonaccessibility toenablead-vancejourneyplanning.

In station areas, there are too few signsfacilitating the orientation and functioningof persons with impaired vision. Wheresuchsignagedoesexist,itisinconsistent.

Inparticular,standardisation isneeded insignsurfacematerials,audiblesignalsandtheuseof tactilesignsandbraille insta-tionsandplatforms.

2. Accessibility and management of travel information

Manyindependentlytravellingpassengerswithimpairedvisionhavenoaccesstoim-portanttravelinformationinstations,suchas timetables and platform details for thenext departure.. Furthermore, identifyingthe vehicle at the stop or platform is dif-ficult, if not impossible, formanypersonswithimpairedvision.

At stations equipped with queue numbersystems,queueingforaserviceisimpossi-bleformanypersonswithimpairedvision.

3. Facilitating the perceptibility of rail traffic environments

Insomestations, theenvironmentcannotbe easily perceived.A risk of collision orafallisposed,duetotheedgesofstairs,glass doors and walls, columns and fix-turesnotbeingclearlyperceptible.Insomestations,theplatformedgesarenotclearlymarkedusingcontrastmarkingandsurfacematerials.Thewarningareashouldbeuni-formlymarkedoneveryplatform.

Sharp contrasts in lighting, which causeglareordayblindness,shouldbeavoidedinstationareas.Day-timelightingisofteninsufficientinunderpasses,underplatformcanopiesandinlobbies,forexample.

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Persons with impaired hearing

Persons with impaired hearing can beroughly divided into two groups: personswith a hearing impairment and deaf per-sons. Persons with a hearing impairmentcancommunicatethroughspeechandlip-reading,andwiththehelpofahearingaid.In the main, deaf persons communicatevisuallyusingsignlanguageandwriting.

1. Information on service alterations at the station, platforms and on-board

Ahearingimpairmentcomplicatescommu-nicationandhindersaccesstoinformation.Difficultiesindistinguishingbetweenwordsis typical of age-related hearing impair-ment:thepersonislikelytohearthesoundofspeech,butisunabletodistinguishbe-tweenwords.

Figure 5. The user study was conducted in co-operation with disability organisations. User experi-ences were recorded during observational tours, in photographs and videos.

Ifonlyaudibleannouncementsaregiven,apersonwithhearingimpairmentdoesnothave access to details on service altera-

tions.Onplatformsandonboardvehicles,detailsonservicealterationsare typicallyannouncedthroughspeakersonly.

2. Improving the communication environment of stations

Servicedesksoften lack thepropercom-municationenvironmentnecessaryforper-sonswithhearingimpairments.Typicalde-

fectsincludethelackofaninductionloopand unclear practices for communicatingwithpassengerswithimpairedhearing.

3. Improved usability of devices and automated functions

Inmanystations,varioustechnicaldevicesandautomatedfunctionsarebecomingin-creasinglycommon.Forpersonswithsen-sory impairments, it is essential that any

information relayed by a device, such asthesuccessorfailureofanaction,isgivenbothaudiblyandvisually. U

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Solutionsanddevelopmentsuggestions1

THESTATIONAREAANDITSIMMEDIATESURROUNDINGSInthisreport,inadditiontotheactualsta-tion building, the station area comprisesanypick-upanddrop-offtrafficandfeedertraffic areas, feeder traffic parking areasandnear-bycrossings.Thisdefinitioncor-respondstotheRailAdministration'sdefi-nition in the technical railway trackRATOinstructions8.However,theentireterminalareaaffectingpeoplewhoworkorlivewithinonekilometreofthestationbuildingiscon-sideredpartofthestationarea'simmediatesurroundings.Inpublictransportplanning,anacceptablewalkingdistanceistypically

300 to700metres inurbanareas. In thecityplanningofnewneighbourhoods, thebasicprincipleistolimitthedistancetotheneareststop/stationto300metres9.

Specialattentionshouldbepaidtopedes-trianandcycleroutes.Manyelderlypeopleandpersonswithreducedmobilityareun-able towalk longdistances.They shouldthereforebeofferedsupplementarypublictransportandrestingplacesalongpedes-trianpaths.Theserestingplacesshouldbewithinviewingdistanceofeachother.

Figure 6. Solutions and development suggestions are presented according to the depicted cat-egories. For a successful journey, each category must be fully functional.

1. THE STATION AREA AND ITS IMMEDIATE SURROUNDINGS

2. ENTRANCE

3. THE STATION

Near-by crossingsFeeder traffic parking

Pick-up and drop-off traffic areas

Feeder traffic areas

Bicycle parking

Platforms

Moving to a different level Tickets

8 RHK. 2009. RATO. Osa 16. Väylät ja laiturit. [The National Rail Administration. 2009]9 Joukkoliikenteen suunnitteluohje Helsingissä (kh 18.6.2007). [Instructions for public transportation planning in Helsinki. 2007]

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Rail trafficusersparticipating inthestudydetected several defects and problemswithin station areas and their surround-ings. Several dangerous situations aroseduetopoorlymarkedelevationdifferences,slippery surfaces and dangerously steepramps,forexample.

Themajorchallengeindevelopingatermi-nalarea,andits immediatesurroundings,liesinsecuringasafe,accessibleandshortroutefrompick-up/drop-offandfeedertraf-ficareas,totheserviceareaandpassen-gerplatforms.Toaccommodatetheneedsof persons with reduced mobility, elderlypassengersandpeoplewith littlechildren(prams) and luggage, these routes mustbeshortandappropriatelysignaged.Thiswilleliminateunnecessarydetours.

Inadditiontoconcretephysicalaccessibil-ity, clearly marked routes contribute to apositive travel experience. Unambiguousdesignofastationareaandclearlymarkedroutes, from near-by crossings and pick-up/drop-offandfeedertrafficareas,tothe

serviceareaandpassengerplatforms,helppeoplefindtheirway.

Appropriatemarkingandsignsarecriticalinplaceswherearoutemustbeselected.Anuninterruptedsequenceofsignsshouldbe located along routes running throughtheterminalarea,atintervalsnotexceed-ing100metres 10. Ifanaccessible routesplitsoff from themainpassageandhasnot been properly marked, persons withreducedmobilityandpeoplewithimpairedvisionarelikelytofollowthegeneralflowofpassengers,tothemainpassageway.

Figure 7. Poorly marked elevation differences had posed a hazard to 64 per cent of those with impaired vision and to 35 per cent of those with reduced mobility or impaired hearing, who par-ticipated in the study.

Figure 8. 30 per cent of those with impaired vision and 16 per cent of those with reduced mobility, who participated in the study, had lost their balance, and some had even fallen down, due to construction in the terminal area.

To facilitate journey planning, more infor-mationisrequiredonconstructionworkinthevicinityofstationareas.Manypassen-gers viewed hindrances caused by con-structionwork as negatively affecting thesafetyanddurationoftravel.

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8 RHK. 2009. RATO. Osa 16. Väylät ja laiturit. [The National Rail Administration. 2009] 10 Määräys RVI/894/413/2009. Esteettömyys rautatiejärjestelmässä. Rautatievirasto. [RegulationRVI/894/413/2009.Accessibilityandtherailtrafficsystem.FinnishRailAgency.]

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Near-bycrossing

Adangerous,ordifficult-to-negotiatenear-by crossing should not prevent the inde-pendenttravelofpersonswithlimitedmo-bilityorimpairedvision.Itisrecommendedthatcrossingsinthevicinityofstationsbedesigned according to the SuRaKu -Ac-cessibilityGuidelinesonoutdoorareas11.

With thehelpof theseguidelines,pedes-trian footpaths and intersections can bedesignedandconstructedtoallowpersonswithreducedmobilityorimpairedvisiontofunctionasindependentlyaspossible.Theguidelinesincludeinformationonmeasure-mentsandmaterialsthatcanbeemployedin the design and construction stages. Inthedesignandconstructionofpedestriancrossings,specialattentionshouldbepaidto differences in crossing elevation andfootpathinclinations,forexample.

Anaccessibleroute, leadingfromanear-by crossing to the station's main en-trance,shouldbeasshortaspossibleandequippedwithappropriatesignage.Ashortaccessible route and appropriate signsserving all passengers contribute to fastandeasytravelforall.

Accessible routes must be appropriatelymaintained, to ensure they remain safein all weather conditions.A snow meltingsystemshouldbeinstalledintheterminalareaanditssurroundings.Suchasystemwillensurethatsurfacematerialsprovidingguidance and crossing markings remainvisibleduringthewintermonths.

Figure 9. Crossings around the station area should be distinctively marked.

11 Suraku_Kortti-1_060208.pdf. [SuRaKu Card 1]

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• Theminimumlightingrequirementforpavementsis10luxandaminimumof 30luxforpedestriancrossings12.

• Anaccessiblepedestriancrossingshouldbeequippedwitharampkerbstone forassistivedeviceswithwheels.Theminimumwidthofarampshouldbe 2,300mm,toenablewintermaintenancebymachine.

• Thepush-buttononatraffic-lightpoleshouldbedistinctiveandreachablefrom awheelchair.

Awarningarea,clearlydefinedbyitssur-face texture and contrast, should lie ad-jacent to a pedestrian crossing, to giveproper warning to persons with impairedvision. Clearly identifiable zebra cross-ingmarkings and contrasts help personswithreducedvisiontodetectadesignatedcrossing. Furthermore, the crossing areashouldbeadequatelylit.Itshouldalsoin-clude uninterrupted guidance for personswith impairedvision, from thecrossing tothestationentrance.

Forthespeciallevelofaccessibilityasde-fined in the SuRaKuAccessibility Guide-lines,crossingsshouldalwaysbeequippedwith traffic lights. A pedestrian crossingsign should be placed at the edge of theroad. The push-button on a traffic-lightpoleshouldbeeasilyreachedandplacedataheightsuitableforthoseusingwheel-chairs.

Formoreinformation,pleasesee:UlkotilojenesteettömyydenSuRaKu–kartoitus(Suunnittelu,RakentaminenjaKunnossapito)[PlanningGuidelinesforanAccessibleEnvironment.TheSuRaKuReport.]Retrievedat:http://www.hel.fi/static/hkr/helsinkikaikille/ohjeet/SURAKU_OPAS.pdf[inFinnish]

Crossingsandpavements:Visit:http://www.hel.fi/static/hkr/helsinkikaikille/ohjeet/Suraku_Kortti-1_060208.pdf

Figure 10. A functional kerbstone at the edge of a pedestrian crossing helps persons with im-pairedvisiontomoveintherightdirection.Itissufficientlylowinprofiletoalloweasyaccessforpersons using assistive devices with wheels.

12 Suraku_Kortti-1_060208.pdf. [SuRaKu Card 1]

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Pick-upanddrop-offtrafficThe recommended distance between thestationentranceandpick-upanddrop-offareaisnomorethan100metres13.Pick-up and drop-off areas should be locatednext to an accessible entrance. The en-trancetotheterminalshouldeitherbevis-iblefromthepick-upanddrop-offarea,orbeclearlymarked.Toaccommodatesafetransfer from car to wheelchair, sufficient

spaceshouldbe reserved for thepick-upanddrop-offarea.Footpathsshouldnotberoutedacrosstrafficlanes.Thepassagetothestationandterminalareashouldbeasshortaspossibleandnotincludesteps.Asufficientnumberofrestingplacesshouldbe locatedalong thepath,within viewingdistanceofeachother.

FeedertrafficparkingFeeder traffic parking should be locatedneartheentrancetoarailwayormetrosta-tion.Access from feeder trafficparking totheterminalareaandplatformsshouldbeshortandsafe.Therecommendedwalkingdistance from long-termparking to a sta-tion is lessthan300metres; itshouldnotexceed 400 metres14. This route shouldbefreeofsteps,whilesignsandmarkingsshouldbedesignedtoaccountforpassen-gerswithimpairedvision.

Safeandflexiblefeedertrafficparkingcon-tributestothepopularityofpublictransportas a means of commuting.A five-minute

walk from the feeder traffic parking areatotheterminalisconsideredtoolong,andhasresultedinparkingareasbeingunder-used15.

Parkingspacesforpersonswithadisabil-ityshouldbelocatedclosesttoaccessibleentrancesandlifts.Thedimensionsofac-cessible parking spaces are given in theNationalBuildingCodeissuedbyFinland’senvironmentaladministration16.Bythesideofthecar,theremustbeenoughspacetoaccommodate transfer fromcar towheel-chair.Sufficientspacemustbeleftbehindforemptyingthecarboot.

• Itisrecommendedthatrestingplacesarenomorethan50metresapart.

• Pick-upanddrop-offtrafficareas,andaccessibletaxispacesforpersonswith adisability,shouldbelocatednearanaccessibleentrance.• ParkingspacesforpersonswithadisabilityshouldbeclearlyindicatedwithISA symbols.(ISA,the International Symbol of Access)

• Thewidthofparkingspacesforpersonswithadisabilityisaminimumof 3,600mmandthelengthatleast5,000mm.

• Theminimumheightrequiredbyaccessibletaxivansis2,800mm.

• Theminimumpathwidthis1,800mm,sufficienttoaccommodatetwopramsor wheelchairspassingeachother.

13, 14 LVM, Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. Accessible Public Transport Interchange]. 15 Experiences on the design of the Munich U-Bahn system. Paul Kramer. Visit to Munich in 2009.16 RakMKF1Esteetönrakennus,Määräyksetjaohjeet2005.[RakMKF1.Specificationsforaccessible building construction. Rules and Regulations. 2005].

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Bicycleparking

Terminalaccessibilityisalsoenhancedbycareful planning of pedestrian and cycleroutes in thevicinityofastation terminal.Promoting cycling within cities is in linewith general sustainability goals. Well-or-ganisedandsafebicycleparkingpromotescycling. Furthermore, if bicycles can becarriedontopublictransport,thenumberofjourneysbybikeincreasesincityareas17.Thecitybikesystemshouldbeimprovedtopromotecycling.

Effectivebicycleparkingshouldbelocatedonthesamelevelasthestationentrance.Bicycle parking should be located in theimmediatevicinityofthestationentrance,while ensuring that bicycles do not blockaccessible routes and thereby cause adanger of collision or falling. It is recom-mendedthatshort-termparkingforpeoplevisiting the station is located 10 metresfromtheentrance,whilelong-termparkingcanbelocatedfurtheraway.Ifthedistancebetween thestationentranceandbicycleparking is over 50metres, parking rackstend to be underutilised18. Bicycle racksshould be located along the main direc-tionsofarrivalbybike.

Seasonalvariationinthenumberofcyclistsis large. In the stationarea, thebicyclingseason can be prolonged and safe park-ingenhancedbyensuringthattheparkingareaissafeandwell lit.Racksshouldal-lowthelockingofbicycleframestothem.Bicycleparkingshouldbecoveredsothatatleasthalfoftheavailableparkingspacesareprotectedfromrain.Duringwinter,thenumber of cyclists falls and some rackscanberemoved,toallowforwintermainte-nance.Lockersprovidethebestprotectionagainstvandalismandweather.

Pedestrian footpaths and cycle pathsshould be separate and clearly marked.Cyclepathsshouldbemarkedandpavedwithdistinctmaterialsandshouldnotcrossfootpathsortrafficlanes.Inaddition,theyshouldberoutedbehind,notinfrontof,thecanopiesofpublictransportstops.

It isexpected that thenumberandsize ifbikeswill increaseinthenearfuture.Thenumberof tricycles,or"trikes", is likely toincrease slightly, as a means of carryingluggage and assisting persons with bal-ancedisorders19.

Figure 11. In Copenhagen, areas for bicycle parking at metro stations are located under-ground and can only be accessed via a lift. The facilities are therefore underused.

Figure 12. Unless adequate parking space is reserved in the station area, misparked bicy-cles are likely to create a risk of collision.

17, 18 Bäckström, J. et al. Polkupyörien liityntäpysäköinnin kehittämissuunnitelma. 2009. [Improvement Plan for Bicycle Park and Ride Facilities. 2009.19 Helsingin pyöräilyn kaksinkertaistamisohjelma, 2004. [A program to double the amount of cycling in Helsinki. 2004].

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Feedertraffic

Accordingtotheuserstudy,changingfromone vehicle to the next during a journeyis the single-most significant hindranceorobstacle to travel.Feeder trafficposesproblems, due to waiting periods causedby sparse connections and the need tochangeplatforms.

In the future, new rail traffic projects inthegreaterHelsinki areawill increasinglytransferpassengersfrombusestothemet-ro and trains. It has been estimated thatoncetheWesternMetrolineiscompleted,

up to 60,000 journeys will be transferredfrombuses to themetroeveryday,whilethe total number of daily metro journeyswill rise toaround100,000 20.Specialat-tentionshouldbepaidtoensuringaneasychangeover fromonevehicle to thenext,appropriatelocationsforfeedertraffic,andclearanddistinctsigns.Easilyaccessiblefeedertraffictimetablesandplatforms,to-getherwithwellorganisedmapsindicatingdeparture platforms, are the essential in-gredientsofasuccessfultrip.

Figure13.Ifitisnecessarytooptforhead-in&reverseoutbusbaysatafeedertrafficterminal,the edge between the bus bay and traffic lanemust bemarkedwith an appropriatewarningarea.

CHANGINGFROMONEVEHICLETOTHENEXT

Changing from one vehicle to the nextshould be as safe and easy as possible.Departureplatformsmustbeclearlymarkedand connective traffic should have fixeddepartureplatforms.Changesindepartureplatformsshouldbeavoided,becausetheyincreasetheneedfor information,compli-cate advance planning and contribute topassengers'feelingofinsecurity.

Whenplanningtheroutetothefeedertraf-ficstoparea,avoidcrossingsifpossible.Inmetro terminals, the optimal solution is alift thatdescends to theplatformsdirectlyfromtheentrancefloor.

20 Minister of Transport Anu Vehviläinen on 24 November 2009 at the launch of the Western Metro line.

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The waiting area must be sheltered andclose to the connecting traffic area, witha view of the departure platform. Waitingforconnectingtrafficcanalsobedonein-

doors, if real time audio-visual timetableinformationisavailable.Thisensuresthatpassengersdonotneedtoremainoutsideinbadweather.

TRAVELINFORMATION

Anytravelinformation,suchastimetablesand departure platforms, should be an-nouncedonscreensinstalledateyelevel.Visualmapsanddisplaypanelsshouldbeavailableforviewingatcloserange.Largetouchpanelsdisplayingamapoftheareaare common in shopping centres and aperfectexampleofvisualguidance.Inthedesignoftouchpanelmaps,specialatten-tionshouldbepaid todifferences incon-trast.

Atactilemapisaraisedorembossedmapforthevisuallyimpaired,displayingthelo-cationofplatformsandplatformnumbers.Instations,tactilemapsshouldbelocatedinsideorunderacanopy.Inaddition,theyshould be located along passage waysandeasilyaccessible.Tactilemapslocatedoutdoorsarelessoptimallyfitforpurpose,becausefingersbecomenumbinthecoldandsomesenseoftouchislost.

FEEDERTRAFFICSTOPAREA

Feedertrafficstopsareisolatedfromothertrafficbygreenerylanes,safetylanesandrailings. The minimum distance betweenthe stop's canopy and platform edge is1,200 mm, measured from the foremostcolumn in thebus'sdirectionof travel.Toensure access by pram or wheelchair,the distance to the next column towardstherearshouldbeatleast1,500mm21.Apersonleavingorenteringabususingthemiddledoormayrequireadditionalspace,due to a ramp being extended from thebus.Thiscouldbeapersonwithapramorinawheelchair,forexample.Asasupple-ment to the SuRaKuAccessibility Guide-lines,thePublicWorksDepartmentoftheCityofHelsinkihasissuedatypedraftforanaccessibleindentedbusbay22.

Busstopswithoutabusbayarelocatedontheouteredgeoftrafficlanes23.Additionalinstructionscomplementingthetypedraftsforaccessiblestopsincludestandardisingtheparkingzoneandmarkingthepointtobe aligned with the entrance door usingblister tiles.Theplatformedgeshouldbe

equippedwiththeappropriatesafetymark-ingsandawarningarea,forthebenefitofpersonswithimpairedvision.

Due to limited space, the terminals forfeeder traffic often have head-in and re-verse out bus bays. However, such busbays should be avoided whenever possi-ble,becausereversingbusesincreasetheriskofhazards.

It is recommended that tactile maps forcheckingthecorrectplatformnumberbelo-catedatfeedertrafficplatformsandstops.Forexample, inthepublictransport inter-change in Kamppi, tactile platformmark-ings have functioned well. Free-standingsignpostsshouldbeplacedwheretheydonotobstructpassages.Asigncanalsobeplacedonacanopycolumn,forexample.

Timetablesshouldbeshownonscreensinreal time.Variousmobileapplicationsarebeingdevelopedforpersonswithimpairedvision,forreceivingthelatesttimetablesbyphone.

21, 22 Helsinki kaikille, Tyyppipiirustukset. Erikoistason pysäkkisyvennys. [Helsinki for all Project. Type drafts. Bus bay for special level of accessibility.]23 Helsinki kaikille, Tyyppipiirustukset. Ajoratapysäkki. [HelsinkiforallProject.Typedrafts.Busstopontrafficlane.]

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Figure 16. A section of the map on Elielinaukio's feedertrafficarea.

Figure 15. An example of a tactile map. Feeder trafficterminalatKamppi.

• Itisrecommendedthatfeedertrafficplatformsarecovered.Theyshouldhave aminimumwidthof3,500to4,000mm.

• Toenablemaintenancebymachine,thedistancebetweenthecanopy's columnclosesttotheplatformedgeandtheedgeofthecarriagewayshouldbe aminimumof2,250mm24.

• Pramsrequireaminimumdistanceof2,000mm.

Figure14.Theusabilityofbusstopslocatedonatrafficlaneshouldbeimprovedforthebenefitof all user groups.

24 HKI. 2007. Katualueita koskevat tyyppipiirustukset. [HKI. 2007. Type drafts for streets.]

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ENTRANCE

Toactasadistinctlandmark,anentranceshould be clearly distinguished from thebuilding's facade. If thestationbuilding islarge and can be entered by foot from avarietyofdirections,asufficientnumberofaccessible entrances should be ensured.Preferably, all entrances should be ac-cessible,atleastthemainentrance.Ifthemainentranceisnotaccessible,theroutetoanaccessibleentranceshouldbeclearlymarked.Theroutefromthemainentranceto an accessible entrance should be asshortandsimpleaspossible.

A canopy offers shelter from the weatherwhenwaitingforpick-upanddrop-offtraf-fic.Italsohelpstokeeptheentranceclear

during winter. Furthermore, an entrancewith a roof or canopy is easier to distin-guishwhenapproachedfromtheside.

Increasingthelightinglevelwillfurtheras-sist inaccentuating theentrance,butwillalso contribute to diminishing any glarewhen stepping out into sunshine or en-tering from broad daylight. An excessivecontrastbetweenindoorandoutdoorlight-ingmaycauseglareandpreventpersonswithimpairedvisionfromseeinganything.Awell-litandclearlyvisiblesignorsymbolatthestationentrancefunctionsasaland-markguidingpassengers,especiallythosewithimpairedvision.

Figure 17. The main entrance should be accessible and easily recognised.

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Acovered landing in frontofanentranceallowspeoplewithpramsorinwheelchairstowaitsafelyforthedoortoopen.Anem-beddedgratinginfrontoftheentranceactsasawarningareaforpersonswithimpairedvision.Ensure thatheels,whitecanes,orthewheelsofpramsorwheelchairscannotbecomecaught in thegrating.Thesoundofopeningdoorsandflowofairwillguidepersonswith impairedvision.Additionally,to guide persons with impaired vision tothedoor,anentranceshouldbeequipped

with an audible beacon.The audible sig-nalshouldbeclearlydistinguishable frombackgroundnoise.

Transparentglassdoorsandwallsshouldhaveawarningstripe,toavoidtheriskofcollision.Warningstripesshouldbeplacedateye level,measuring900 to1,500mmfrom the floor surface. A warning stripeonaglassdoororwallshouldcompriseaminimumoftwohorizontallyattached,100mmwidestripes25.

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Accessibleroutesshouldnotincludeeleva-tiondifferences.Thresholdscanbeavoid-ed by using vestibules. Vestibules mayalsobebeneficialinbalancingthestation'sindoortemperature,stabilisingaircurrentsandbalancingchangesinlighting.Therec-ommended minimum width of a vestibulepassage is 1,800 mm, which allows twowheelchairs or prams to pass each otherandaccommodatesanaccompanyingas-sistant or guide dog. The recommendedlengthofavestibule isalso1,800mm,toensuresufficientspaceforturningaroundwithanassistivedevicewithwheels,ifnec-essary. The dimensions of an accessiblevestibulearepublished in theBuilding In-formationFoundation'sguidelines26.

Automaticslidingoroutwardopeningswingdoors are a practical solution – revolvingdoors are not recommended. Semi-auto-maticdoorsareopenedwithapush-buttonlocatedonacontrolunit.Thebuttonshouldbe clearly visible and stand out from itsbackground. It shouldbe locatedat suchaheightthatitcanbeeasilyreachedfromawheelchair,inaplacewherethepersonpushing thebutton is innodangerofbe-inghitbytheopeningdoor.Theradiusofoutwardopeningdoorsshouldbemarkedwithadistinctsurfacematerial,tocautionpersonswithimpairedvision.

Figure 18. In the Pasila railway station, the glass walls surrounding ticket sales are marked with warning stripes.

Figure 19. In the railway station, the glass doors at the entrance to the metro tunnel are not marked, creating a risk of collision.

25 RTV. Esteettömyys rautatieliikenteessä. [RTV. Accessibility and the railways.]26 RT 09-10692. Esteetön liikkumis- ja toimimisympäristö. [Building regulation card RT 09-10692. Accessible environments.]

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• Theminimumwidthofthepassageis2,300mmtoensuremaintenance bymachine.

• Theminimumclearheightofapassageis2,200mmandtherecommended minimumunderpassheightofabuildingorpartofabuildingis3,000mm. (SuRaKuAccessibilityGuidelines)

• Ifpossible,thresholdsareavoidedinentrancesandtherecommended maximalthresholdheightis20mm27.

• Ingratings,themaximumgapwidthis5mmandlength30mm.

• Theminimumdimensionsofavestibuleare1,800mminwidthand1,800mm inlengthtoensuresufficientspaceforpramsandwheelchairstopasseach othersafelyandforturningaroundinthevestibule.

• Warningstripesattachedtotransparentglassdoorsandwallsshouldbeplaced 850to1,050mmand1,500to2,000mmfromthefloorsurface.

• Thepush-buttonopeningasemi-automaticdoorshouldbeplacedataheightof 800to1,200mm28.

• Theforceneededtoopenadoormanuallyshouldnotexceed10N29.

Figure 20. A metro station can be a landmark. Munich, St. Quirin Platz.

27 LVM. 2000. Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. 2000. Accessible Public Transport Interchange]28 RTV. 2009. Esteettömyys rautatiejärjestelmässä. [RTV. 2009. Accessibility and the railways.]29 VYP. Esteetön asuinrakennus. [VYP Community Planning Service of the Disabled. Accessible residential buildings.]

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STATION

AccessibleroutesThe main passage should be accessible.An accessible main passage should belogical,asshortaspossibleandequippedwithappropriatesignage.Whenanacces-sibleroutedepartsfromthemainpassage,the junction must be equipped with ade-quatesignsfortheselectionofthecorrectpassage. Since such junction points areveryimportant,itisessentialthattheyareclearlymarked.Additionally,junctionpointsmustbeequippedwithawarningareaonthe floor surface, todraw theattentionofpersonswithimpairedvision.

Open floor plans, where functions andservicesareseparatedfromthepassage-wayby furniturealone,areextremelydif-ficulttonavigateforpersonswithimpaired

vision.Navigatinganopen-planterminalisachallengeforpeopleaccompaniedbyaguidedog.Inametrostation,sincemostpassengerschoosetheescalatortomovebetweenlev-els, the main flow of pedestrians movesalonga route towards theescalator.Thisroute must be sufficiently wide to allowpersonstomoveatdifferentpaceswithoutcolliding.

Inanideallydesignedpedestrianenviron-ment,crowdingisavoidedbyallowingpeo-pletoproceedattheirownpace.Anade-quatenumberofrestingplacesarelocatedalong the route for persons with reducedmobility.

Figure 21. Examples of various solutions to improve accessibility and usability inside a station building.

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I O NTheroute leading to theescalatorshould

bemarkedonthefloor,withaclearlyvis-ible contrasting stripe and a metal stripguidingpersonsusingawhitecane.Ase-ries of lamps running parallel to the pas-sagewayprovidesanadditionalguidingel-ement.Manypersonswithimpairedvisionareabletofindtheirwaybygoingwiththeflow.

• Theminimumlightinginaccessiblepedestrianroutesinrailtrafficareasis100 lux,measuredfromfloorlevel30,whiletherecommendedlightingis300lux31.

• Theminimumpassagewaywidthis1,800mmtoallowtwoprams orwheel- chairstopasseachothersafely.However,therecommendedminimumwidth is2,500mm.

• Themaximumdistancebetweenrestingplacesis150metres, therecommendeddistanceis50metres32.

TicketsalesandtravelcardstampingThe same, easily identifiable ticket andstampingmachinesshouldbe installed inevery station. Such machines should besimpleandeasytouse.Personswithim-paired vision, for example, have difficultyinlocatingandusingaticketstampingma-chine.Ticketandstampingmachinesmust

bewithinreachforwheelchairusers.Fac-ingthefront,wheelchairuserscanreachadeviceplaced700to1,200mmabovefloorlevel,provided thatanadequateknee-re-cesshasbeen leftunder thedevice.Thekeyboard, payment system and printermust all be placed at the same height33.Ticket machines and other devices mustgivearecognisablesound,toindicatethesuccess or failure of a transaction. Newmachinesshouldneverbeinstalledbeforetheirusabilityhasbeen thoroughly testedondifferentusergroups.

It is recommended that machines areplacedparalleltothepassageway,sothatanyqueuesforminginfrontofthemdonotblockorcrowdthepassage.Installingtick-et and stamping machines at a distancefromtheescalatorsensuresfreeaccesstoescalators,evenduringrushhours.

Figure 22. Nanakuma Line, Fukuoka, Japan

People travelling with a pram or bicycle,persons with reduced mobility, and per-sonswithimpairedvisionaccompaniedbyaguidedognavigatebetweenlevelsusinga lift.The route to lifts shouldbemarkedwithametalstripandanaudiblebeacon.

30 RTV. Esteettömyys rautatiejärjestelmässä. [RTV. Accessibility and the railways.]31 LVM. 2000. Esteetön matkakeskus, visuaalinen opas. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. 2000. Accessible Public Transport Interchange, a visual guide.]32 Roselius, E. 2009.33 RTV.Esteettömyysraideliikenteessä.[RTV.Accessibilityinrailtraffic.]

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Queuesforminginfrontofticketmachinescanalsobe reducedbyprovidingasuffi-cientnumberofticketmachinesandoffer-ingalternativemethodsofpurchasingtick-ets,includingeticketsbymobilephone.

Backgroundnoisedisturbshearing. If thestationhasaseparateareawhere ticketsare sold, it should be placed somewherewhere the noise conditions can be ad-justed to accommodate persons with ahearing impairment. Hearing loss affectscommunicating with others and preventsaccess to information. It thuscomplicatesmanagingindependently.Aninductionloopforthehearingimpairedmustbeavailableinat leastoneservicepoint.Useofport-ableshort-rangeinductionloopsisrecom-mended34.Asthepersonbehindthecoun-terspeaksintothemicrophone,thesoundtravelsdirectly into thehearingaidviaaninductionloopinstalledinthecounter.Cus-tomersmustalsobegiventheopportunitytocommunicateinwriting.

Thedimensionsofcustomercarecountersshouldaccommodatepassengersinwheel-chairs.Ahandrailalongtheedgeofaserv-ice counter provides support for personswithlimitedmobility.

Modern queueing systems are ideal forpersons with impaired hearing. Whenthe number changes, the system gives asoundsignalandthedisplayednumberof-tenblinksonthescreen.However,personswithimpairedvisioncannotuseaqueueingsystembasedoneyesightandareunabletoseethenumberschangingondisplays.Analternativemethodshouldbeprovidedforthem.

Some people with a hearing impairmentpreferbuyingtheirticketsfromamachinetopurchasingticketsatadesklackinganin-ductionlooporsensitiveservicepersonnel.

It shouldbepossible to locate theequip-mentanduseitwithoutadditionalguidance.Theareaarounda ticketmachineshouldbe sufficiently large to provide some pri-vacy.Aroundticketmachines,thereshouldbeanareawitharadiusof1,500mm.Nootherfurnitureshouldbeplacedwithinthearea,whichcanbemarkedusingdifferentfloormaterials.

Thepossibilitytouseaninductionloopcanbe combined with any vending machinesand devices.An attached symbol shouldshowwhereaninductionloopisavailable.Aconnectioncanbemadefromticketma-chinesandinformationcounterstoaserv-icecentre locatedfurtheraway,Thiscen-tre should provide advice on how to usethe machine or supply other informationregardingtravel,forexample.Buttonfunc-tionsshouldbeclearlyidentifiable,andthedevicemustgiveanaudibleandvisualsig-naltoindicatethesuccessorfailureofanaction.

Figure 23. Copenhagen Airport Information

34 LVM. Esteetön Matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. Accessible Public Transport Interchange.]

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• Appropriatedeskheightforwheelchairusersis750to800mm37.

• Undertheservicedesk,thereshouldbeaknee-recessofatleast670mm measuredfromfloorleveland600mmdeep.

• Theminimumknee-recesswidthis800mm.

Figure 24. Nanakuma Line, Fukuoka, Japan

FurnitureintickethallsFurnitureshouldbeplacedclearofthepas-sageway,toavoidtheriskoftripping.Uni-formfurnitureplacementindifferenttermi-nalshelpspersonswithimpairedvisiontonavigateatdifferentstations.Thefurnitureused must be robust and safe. Items offurniture should be immobilised, by fixingthemtotheground.Thecolourortoneofthefurnituremuststandoutfromtheback-ground.Reflectingmaterialssusceptibletoglareshouldbeavoided.

Ideally, seat materials should be durableandeasytoclean.Seatsshouldbeclearlydistinguished from their background. It issuggestedthattheirlocationismarkedonthefloor,withawarningareawithaclear-ly distinguishable contrast and material.Seatsmusthavebackrests,andarmrestsare recommended. The recommendedminimumdistancebetweenseatingareasis50metres38.Inadditiontothetradition-al seating height (450 mm), some seatsshould rise higher, to a seating height of500to550mm.Higherseatsaresuitableforpassengerssufferingfromkneeorhipproblems.Seatsandotherfurnitureshouldbedesignedtotakeaccountoffloorclean-ing.

Aticketvalidationgateinstalledatmetroorrailwaystationsshouldbesufficientlywidetoallowpedestrianstopassthroughwith-outneedingtoreducetheirwalkingspeed.At least one of the gates should be spa-cious, with a minimum width of 800 mm35.Therecommendedminimumwidthofaticketinspectiongateisthestandardwidthofdoorways(850mm),whichensureseasyaccessforwheelchairusers.Analternativepassagemustbeprovidedforpersonswithreducedmobility,ifthestationisequippedwithturnstilegates36.

Figure 25. Seats at the Helsinki metro station were designed by Yrjö Kukkapuro. Special at-tention was paid to their ergonomics, durability and easy maintenance.

35 RTV. 2009. Esteettömyys rautatiejärjestelmässä. [RTV. 2009. Accessibility and the railways.]36 See above37 LVM. Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. Accessible Public Transport Interchange.]38 SuRaKu Accessibility Guidelines.

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Tickethall–Signs

Signs in the ticket hall should guide pas-sengers from the entrance to the servicecountersand then to theplatforms,usingtheirpreferredmethodofmoving tootherlevels. Signs are particularly importantwhen themain route leading to theesca-latorsdeviates from theaccessible route.Junction points and areas where ticketsareboughtandstampedshouldbemarkedon thefloorwithawarningarea. Inaddi-tiontovisualsigns,atactilemapshouldbelocatedindoorsandclosetotheentrance,

toenablepersonswith impairedvision tocheckandlearntheroute.

Thesoundoftheescalatorsleadspersonswithimpairedvisiontothem.Theroutetotheescalatorshouldbemarkedwithacon-trastingstripeandametalstrip,fortheben-efitofthoseusingawhitecane.Itisrecom-mendedthatanaudiblebeaconisusedtoguidepersonswithimpairedvisiontolifts.Asoundsignalshouldbegivenwhenaliftiscalledandwhenitsdoorsopen.

Tickethall–Lighting

Toavoidglare, informationandticketma-chinesshouldbelocatedawayfromdirectsunlight. Ifartificial lighting is required for

reading detailed information, the lightingintensitymustbe15luxabovethatoftheenvironment39.

• Serviceareasmustbeadequatelylit,minimumlighting300lux40.• Therecommendedlightingataservicedeskis750lux41.Thisensuresthatthe employee'sfaceisclearlyvisible,withoutariskofglare.

• Therecommendedlightingatthecheckoutdeskis1,000lux42.

• Avoiddirectsunlightandlargeglasssurfaceslikelytocauseglare.

Figure26.SignsatthefeedertrafficterminalofKamppi.

39 RTV. 2009. Esteettömyys rautatiejärjestelmässä. [RTV. 2009. Accessibility and the railways.]40 Innojok, SFS-EN 12464-141, 42 LVM. 2000. Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. 2000. Accessible Public Transport Interchange.]

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Movingtoadifferentlevel

Interminals,passengersshouldbeabletochange level using the device they wish.Ideally,thestairs,escalatorsandliftshouldhave equal prominence in the passage-way.Choosingwhether to take the lift orusethestairsismadeonthespot.Topro-motehealthierchoices,itisrecommendedthat any stairs be positioned on the pas-sageway. If the stairs are located some-whereoutofsight,peopletendtochoosethe escalator or lift. Lifts must always bean available alternative for persons withreducemobility.

ALIFT

Liftsmustalwaysbeavailableforpersonswithreducedmobilityandthosetravellingwith little children (prams). It is recom-mendedthataliftisinstalledwheneverthelevelheightdifferenceismorethan1me-tre,asrampsthenbecomeinconvenientlylong.Therecommendedliftcapacityis10people, and the minimum capacity is 8persons.Peoplewithbicycles,pramsand

Figure 27. Escalators, lifts and stairs all located on the passageway.

43 RT RakMK-21255. Esteetön rakennus, Määräykset ja ohjeet 2005. [BuildingregulationcardRTRakMK21255.Specificationsforaccessiblebuildingconstruction.Rulesand Regulations. 2005].

Aclearedzoneshouldprecedeanyesca-latorandstairs,freeofticketandstampingmachines. Furthermore, no ticket inspec-tiongatesshouldbelocatedintheimmedi-atevicinityofescalatorsandstairs.Whenthemeansforchangingtoanotherlevelareapproached, the pace slows and queuesforming in front of machines may causecrowding. Stairs and escalators must bewelllit.

wheelchairs should be considered whendesigning the liftdimensions.LiftsshouldbedesignedaccordingtotheaccessibilityguidelinesissuedbytheBuildingInforma-tionGroup43.

Persons with impaired vision should beguidedtoliftsbyametalstriprunningalongthefloorandanaudiblebeacon.Liftsshould

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belocatedattheendsofpassagewaysorperpendicularlyalong thepassagewayToavoidcrowdingwhilepeopleareawaitingthelift,sufficientfreespaceshouldbeleftinfrontof the liftdoors.Thefloornumberor symbol should be clearlymarked nexttotheliftdoors.Alogicalplaceforadirec-tory is next to the lift, where the locationofdifferentservicescanbecheckedwhilewaitingonit.

A lift can be called automatically using amotion detector, or traditionally by press-ingabutton.Thebuttonshouldbeclearlydistinguishable from the background andlocated at such a height that it can beeasily reached fromawheelchair.Obsta-cles topressingabutton includereducedmobilityorfunctionoftheupperlimb.Dif-ferent soundsshouldsignal thecall foralift,itsarrival,andopeningdoors.Itisrec-ommended that inside the lift, anaudiblevoiceannouncesthecurrentfloorandtheselectedfloornumber.

Floorbuttonsshouldbeverticallyarrangedin logical order. The alarm button shouldbelocatedapartfromthefloorbuttons.Toavoidfalsealarmscausedbyunintention-

ally pressing an alarm button, alarm but-tons should be protected by a fixed ring.Avoidsensorbuttons.Thefloorshouldbeindicatednexttothebutton,eitherinBrailleorusingtactilesigns.

• Theminimumdepthofaliftcaris 1,400mmandtheminimumwidth 1,100mm44.Therecommended minimumdimensionsofaliftcar are1,600mm(depth)x1,400mm (width)45.• Theclearwidthatthedooris 900mm.• Theminimumradiusoftheturning circleinfrontoftheliftis 1,500mm46.• Liftbuttonsarelocated850to 1,000mmabovefloorleveland aminimumof400mmfromany corner.• Thebuttonsshouldbesufficiently large(Ø25mm)andplacedsuf- ficientlyfarfromeachother(cen- tre-to-centredistance35mm)47.• Recommendedlightingintensityin liftsis300lux48.• Floordirectoriesshouldalsobe placedoutsidethelift.

Figure 28. Lifts should be accessible to all user groups.

45 Rollaattori apuna liikkumisessa - tekniset ominaisuudet ja tilantarve, Invalidiliitto ry, 2010. 46 Helsinki kaikille. Estettömiä ratkaisuja. Hissit. [Helsinki for All. Accessible solutions. Lifts.]47 Rakennustietosäätiö. 1998. Esteetön rakennus ja ympäristö, Suunnitteluopas. 48 Suomen Valoteknillinen Seura ry, Julkaisuja No: 9 1986. Valaistussuositukset, Sisävalaistus.

44 RT RakMK-21255. Esteetön rakennus, Määräykset ja ohjeet 2005. [Building regulation card. 2005.]

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STAIRS

Descendingstairsshouldbelocatedtothesideandperpendiculartothepassage,topreventpersonswithimpairedvisionfromaccidentally entering the stairs. Sufficientclearanceatthebottomofstairswillpreventpersons descending them from blockingthepassage.Toavoid injuries, thespacebeneath thestairs shouldbeenclosedorits entrance blocked. It should, neverthe-less,beeasytokeepclean.Awarningareamarkedwithdistinctfloorsurfacematerialshouldbelocatedwherethestairsbegin.

Thewidth of the stairs hasan impact onthe pace and flow of passengers. In thecaseofsufficientlywidestairs,it iseasiertopassothersand thegoing isgenerallymorepleasant. Inbusyareas,therecom-mendedstairwidthisequaltothewidthofthefootpathleadingtothem.Theminimumwidthofoutdoorstairsleadingtotrainplat-formsis3,000mm51.

Stairsandrampsshouldbedesignedfol-lowingtheinstructionsonaccessiblebuild-

inginformationcardsissuedbytheBuild-ing Information Group. Handrails shouldrununinterruptedalongbothsidesofstairsand along ramps continuing to the land-ing.Aroundhandrail ismorecomfortabletogrip.Handrailsshouldbeattachedfrombelow, at aminimum of 45mm from thewall,toensureunobstructedmovementofthe hand along the rail. In rail traffic sta-tions,Braillecanbeusedtoguidepersonswithimpairedvision.Entranceandplatformnames can be marked on the handrails,andinstructionsforpersonswithimpairedvisionwrittenonthehandrailsinBraille.

Thefrontedgesofstairsshouldbemarkedwithacontrastingstripe,distinct incolourortone.Acontrastingstripecontributestosafetyandhelpspeoplenotice thestairs.Additionally,awarningareadistinguishedby its materials should be located at theedgeofthestairs,toforewarnpersonswithimpairedvision.

ESCALATORS

Escalators form the main passage to theplatformsinametrostation.Formostusergroups,escalatorsareasuitablemeansofdescendingtotheplatform.However,thisisnot thecase forpersons travellingwithprams, bicycles or in wheelchairs. Whenthree escalators are placed side by side,maintenance can be carried out withoutdisturbingtheflowofpedestrians.Personswithimpairedvisionwhoareaccompaniedbyaguidedogtendtoavoidescalators,inordertopreventpawinjuries.Thesoundofanescalator functionsasanaudiblesignforpersonswith lowvision.A rubbermatorgratingprecedingtheescalatorwillalertpersonswalkingwithawhitecane.

Escalators should be located parallel orperpendicular to the route. Escalator di-mensionsdependontheflowofpedestri-ans.Whentheescalatorwidthis1,000mm,it ispossible for twopassengers tostandsidebysideandthereisroomtopassoth-erpassengers.Aclearancewiderthantheescalatorandatleast6metreslongshouldbeleftattheupperendofanescalator,andkeptfreeofticketandstampingmachines.

• Awarningsurfaceshouldbegin 1200 mmpriortoadescending escalator49.• Itisrecommendedthata 6,000mmclearanceisleftatthe upperendofescalators50.

49 LVM. 2000. Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. 2000. Accessible Public Transport Interchange.]50 Roselius. E. 2009.51 LVM. 2000. Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. 2000. Accessible Public Transport Interchange.]

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• Stairsaremarkedwithawarning area1,200mmbeforethefirst descendingstep.• Theminimumwidthofstairsin anaccessiblepublictransport interchangeis2,000mm.• Themini-mumwidthofoutdoor stairsis3,000mm.• Theminimumdimensionofthe treadlengthineasilyaccessible stairsis300mmandthemaximum riserdimensionis160mm52.• Itisrecommendedthathandrails alsobepositionedalongthecentre ofverywidestairsat2,400mm intervals53.• Therecommendeddiameterof handrailsisbetween25mmand 45mm.

Figure 29. Easily accessible stairs encourage people to be physically active.

RAMPS

The maximum inclinations and length oframpshavebeendefined in theSuRaKuAccessibilityGuidelineCards54andinthebuildingregulation'ssectionF1 55.Rampsare not recommended when the levelheightdifferenceismorethan1metre,astheythenbecomeinconvenientlylong.Theminimum width of ramps leading to pas-senger platforms is 3,000 mm, and theirmaximumlength is6,000mm,not includ-inglandings.Rampsrunfromonelandingtothenext;nolateralinclinationisallowedinramps.

• Therecommendedmaximum inclinationofarampis5%.• Ahandrailshouldrunalongboth sidesofaramp.

52 RakMK. 2005. F1. Esteetön rakennus, määräykset ja ohjeet. [Building regulation card RakMK. 2005]53 RakMK F2. Ohje 2.5.2. [Building regulation card RT RakMK F2. Instruction 2.5.2.]54 SuRaKu. Kortti-3_060208. [SuRaKu Accessibility Guideline Card 3_060208.] 55 RakMK. 2005. F1. Esteetön rakennus, määräykset ja ohjeet. [Building regulation card RakMK. 2005]

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SignsandmarksfordifferencesinelevationHandrailsonstairsmayalsobeusedasaguide.Ontheroutetothepassengerplat-formofarailwaystation,shortinstructionsinBrailleandintactilemarkingsshouldbelocatedonthehandrail,orattachedtothewallataheightof800mmto1,000mm.

Instructions on how to mark accessibleroutes are specified in the Finnish RailAgencyRegulations56.Itisrecommendedthatthesameinstructionsarealsofollowedinmetrostations.

LightinganddifferencesinelevationTheminimumlightingintensityinstaircas-es is 100 lux,measured from floor level.Inthecaseofartificiallighting,thelightingintensityshouldbe40luxabovethelight-ing intensity in the surrounding area 57.Minimumlightingrequirementsforpersonswithlowvisionis300lux.

Therecommendedlightingintensityatthetopandbottomofanescalatoris200lux58.Trafficlightsshouldbeincluded,toindicatethedirectionoftheescalator.Inadditiontothe lightand itscolour, thereshouldbeadistinct symbol for the benefit of personswithlowvision.

Figure30.Afloordirectoryonahandrail(Photoby Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities).

Figure 31. An example of a lighting solution in a metro station in Copenhagen.

56, 57 RTV. 2009. Esteettömyys rautatiejärjestelmässä. [RTV. 2009. Accessibility and the railways.]58 LVM. 2000. Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. 2000. Accessible Public Transport Interchange.]

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Platforms

Routestoplatformsshouldbeaccessible.Passagesshouldnothaveleveldifferenc-esandmustbesufficientlywidetoensuresafe passage. Guidance for persons withimpaired vision should continue uninter-ruptedontheplatform.Structuralelements,suchasguttersinoutdoorplatformareas,mayalsoplayaroleasguidingelements.However,theyshouldnotpresentariskofstumblingorslipping.Platformedgemark-ingsmustbelogicalanduniformlyusedinallstations.

Platform and vehicle compatibility needsfurtherimprovement.Accordingtotheuserstudy, in terms of accessibility, the metrois the best means of public transport forpersonswithreducedmobility.Carscanbedesigned to match the platforms, leavingonlyanarrowgap(approximately50mm)whichdoesnotpreventboarding.Automat-ically run metro trains always stop at the

same point, which enables the entrancesections to be marked on the platformsusing distinct materials, to guide personswithimpairedvision.Platformwallsaddtosafety.

Inthedesignofthelatestmetrocarmod-els,betteraccounthasbeentakenofac-cessibilitythaninoldercars.Newcarmod-els improve the usability of regional andexpresstrains.However,inadditiontoim-provedcars,onboardandstationservicesshouldbedevelopedtoenableaccessibletravel forallusergroups.Personnelmustbe trained in how to provide assistance,andassistivedevicesshouldbesafeandeasytouse.

Independent travel should be as uncom-plicatedaspossible,withoutrequiringad-vancecontactwithstationservices.

Figure 32. Examples of various solutions to improve accessibility and usability on a platform.

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Onlythenwillrailtrafficbeatrulyaccessi-blemeansoftransportforallusergroups.Themorecomplicated theadvanceprep-arations required by a journey, the morelikely it is that passengers will decide totravelbysomeothermeans.

Muchroomforimprovementremainsintheaccessibilityof tramstopsand trams,be-foreindependenttravelisafeasibleoptionforallusersofpublictransport.Accessingtram stops is a challenge, due to raisedplatforms which are typically too narrowforpramsandwheelchairs.Theminimumplatformwidthrequiredbypramsis2,000mm59.One-sidedplatform islands locatedinthemiddleofastreet,onwhichpedes-trianscrosstrafficlanes,areunsafe.Plat-forms should be marked with signs andsurface materials assisting persons withimpaired vision. Winter maintenance ofplatforms poses additional challenges toyear-roundaccessibility.

Low-floor vehicles have been developedto promote tram accessibility. Further im-provementsareneededinplatformacces-sibility and ensuring the compatibility of

platformswithlow-floorcars.Typically,thegap between the car and platform is toowide.During theexperimentalpartofouruserstudy,wheelchairandelectricwheel-chairuserscouldnotindependentlyaccesslow-floortrams.

Aplatformneedstobewideenoughtoal-lowpassengerstopasseachothersafely.DetailedinstructionsaregivenintheFinn-ishRailAgencyRegulations60.Theedgesofplatformsshouldbemarkedwithclearlyvisible warning signs in an alternate sur-face material, as well as with a warningarea.Theplatformedgemustcontrastwiththedarkrails.Materialsusedshouldnotbeslipperywhenwet.

The places where the doors of a haltedmetrotrainwillbeshouldbemarkedontheplatformusingadistinctcolourandsurfacematerial.Regional trainsandotherpublictransport should be developed to includefixed halting pointswhich can be perma-nentlymarkedontheplatformorstop.Thiswill facilitate locating the correct vehicleanditsentrance.

• Theminimumwidthofaregionaltrainplatformislandis3,300mm61.Ifthe platformistoincludeacanopy,theminimumrequiredwidthis3,500mm.

• Theminimumwidthoftheplatformwarningareais500mm,whichincreases inrelationtothespeedofby-passingtrains62.

• Awarningstripeof300mmminimumisrecommendedforinstallationatfeeder trafficstops63.

59 LVM. 2000. Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. 2000. Accessible Public Transport Interchange.]60, 61,62 RTV. 2009. Esteettömyys rautatiejärjestelmässä. [RTV. 2009. Accessibility and the railways.]

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63 LVM. 2000. Esteetön matkakeskus. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. 2000. Accessible Public Transport Interchange.]

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Platformfurniture

Thewidthofapassagebetweentheplat-formedgeandanobstaclesuchasasign,fixed furniture or structural obstacles, is800mm. Seatsmust be fixed and easilydistinguishedfromthebackgroundbytheir

contrast or colour. Furniture should notposeariskofcollisionorstumbling.Theyshould be durable and easy to maintain.Shiny and reflecting materials should beavoided.

Platformsignsandmarkings

Platforms should have multisensory guid-ance.Signsandmarkingsshouldbeper-ceivedthroughauditory,vision and tactile senses. Adequately litdisplaypanelsshouldavailableforviewingatcloserange.Thetraincars'directionoftravelandplatformnumbersaredisplayedvisually and using tactile signs. All infor-mation is available at one, clearly distin-guishable place on the platform. Audibleannouncements benefit persons with im-pairedvisionandinductionloopshelpthepersonswithhearingimpairments.

Itisrecommendedthatametalstripandacontrastingstripeareinstalledontheplat-formtoguidepersonswithimpairedvisionfromtheescalatortothecardoors.Inau-tomaticallyrunningmetrotrains,theplace

where the train stops can be accuratelydetermined and a platform screen doorcan be used as an entrance for personswith impaired vision.The objective is theat every platform, persons with impairedvision are guided to the same door. Theroutetothelift ismarkedbyametalstriponly.Awarningareaofdistinctcontrastisinstalled in frontofplatformscreendoorsandlifts.

Furthermore,itisrecommendedthatatac-tile sign is placed at the platform screendoordisplayingthetrain'sdirectionoftrav-el.Atmetrostations,inparticular,knowingthedirectionoftravelisimportant.Attrainstations,platformnumberscanbeinstalledinthesameplacewithtimetablesandotherinformation.

Platformlighting

Theminimumlightingintensityatcanopiedplatforms and in passenger tunnels is 50lux 64. In the tunnel stations of Copenha-gen, for example, the lighting intensity atthemetroplatformsis200luxwhichisin-adequateforpersonswithlowvision.Therecommended lighting intensity in tunnelsisapproximately300lux65.

Indirectoveralllightingshouldbepreferred.Directlightingisonlyusedtohighlightplat-formscreendoors,liftsandstairs.

Theneedforlightingdecreaseswhenthegroundmaterialoftheplatformislightanduniform.Patternedfloorsurfacesobstructperceptionofthespace.

Canopiesmadeofglassshouldbeavoid-edinoutdoorstations,becausetheycauseglare.Directsunlightwillalsocreatesharpshadows which pattern the platform sur-faceanddisturbperception.

64 SFS-EN 12464-1 Lighting intensities.65 Laitinen, S. 2008.

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Figures 33 and 34. Availability of travel information at the platform. The current situation, and the suggested improvement.

Figures 35 and 36. An example of a platform lighting solution in a metro station at Copenhagen. The current situation, and the suggested improvement.

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Solutionsanddevelopmentsuggestions2

SIGNS

Thissectionincludessuggestedimprovementsregardingsignsandservicealterations.

Amajorityof thosewhorespondedto theuser questionnaire use an online journeyplanneroraprintedtimetabletoplantheirtrip. Travel information should be mademore accessible, to ensure streamlinedtravelplansinthefuture.Onlinetimetableinformationandotherrelevantdatashouldbemadeavailableinaudibleformat,orsuit-able for downloading to a mobile device.Real timeannouncementsshouldalsobeimproved.

The public transport information systemandincidentinformationsystemhavebeenstudied as part of the Ministry of Trans-port and Communications' Research andDevelopment Programme for Accessibil-ity "ELSA".Adequate informationonpub-lic transport promotes its use andmakesitaccessibleforallusergroups.Clearandlogical informationonpublic transport im-proves thesafetyof theactual journey. Italsoaffectsthepersonalchoiceofindividu-als,inusingwhattheyviewasaneffectiveandcomfortablemeansoftravel66.

Travelinformation

Figure 37. Electronic and printed travel infor-mation need improvement

66 Esteettä eteenpäin. 2005.

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Aclearfloorplan,easilyrecognisedland-marksalongtheroutesandguidelightinghelppeopletoorientatethemselvesinthestation area. Differences in contrast andcolour, or lighting intensity, can be usedtocontributetoimprovedperceptionofanarea. Transparent glass doors and wallsshouldbeclearlymarkedateyelevel.Withage,sharpnessofvisionandabilitytoad-just to changes in lightingbecomeweak,and susceptibility to glare increases.Theriskofcollisionisgreatestforpersonswhohavelowvision,butstillrelyontheireye-sight. Indirect lighting provides an even,overall light while spotlights can be em-ployedtohighlightdifferencesinelevationandplatformscreendoors,forexample.

Contrasting stripes and warning areas,markedonthefloorsurfaceofaroute,pro-videguidancetopersonswithlowvision.Adarkstripeacrossalightlycolouredfloorisaclearlydistinguishableguidanceelement,similartoaseriesoflamps.Floorsurfacesshould be neutral in colour, without largepatterns which disturb perception. Addi-tionally,floorsurfacesshouldnotbereflec-tive.Thewarningareaofaplatformshouldbe light incolour, toensure that thedarktracksareeasilydistinguishedincontrast.Contrastingstripesonstairsmustrunalongtheentirelengthofthestep,toensurethatpersonswithareducedfieldofvisioncanidentifythesteps.

Visualsignsandmarkings

Interminalareas,audiblesignsshouldin-clude announcements, audible beaconsandvarioussignallingdevices. In thede-sign of signs, attention should be paidto the intended environment, and back-ground noises and sounds in the stationarea.Acoustics and reduced echo makeannouncementsandspeecheasiertoun-derstand. Other sounds and backgroundnoisecanmaskaudiblesigns.

High-quality sound reproduction devicesshouldbeusedandannouncementsshouldbe clear. Low-pitched sounds are moreaudible than high-pitched ones. To drawpeople'sattention,announcementsshouldbe repeated 67. In Copenhagen, to avoiddisturbing the surrounding environment,announcements on outdoor metro plat-forms are quiet (45 dB).Announcementstransmitting travel informationareaudibleinaspecificareaoftheplatform.However,quietannouncementsareinaudibletoper-

sonswithimpairedhearing.Fortheirben-efit, an induction loop installed at a fixedinformationdeskinthestationbuilding,orontheplatform,shouldbemadeavailable.Induction loops should only be installedbypersonswhounderstandtheprinciplesbehind their operation. The function andfieldintensityofaninductionloopmustbetestedpriortofinalinstallation68.Aninduc-tionlooplocationshouldbemarkedwithaTsymbolandinstalledinthesamelocationasotherinformation.

Sound signals help people to orientatethemselves and estimate distances. Thelocationofalift,whetherithasbeencalledand the opening of lift doors can all besignalledusingadifferentsound.Buttonsandkeysshouldgiveanaudiblesignal,todenote the successful performance of anaction.Announcementsdeclaringthenextstopareessentialtotheindependenttravelofpersonswithimpairedvision.

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67, 68 LVM. Esteetön matkakeskus. 2001. Visuaalinen ohje. [Ministry of Transport and Communications. Accessible Public Transport Interchange. 2001. Visual Guide.]

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Humans can process a limited amountof information at a time. In station areas,the flowof information should be control-lable,toensurethatinformativemessagesareclearlydistinguishable fromadvertise-ments.Terminalsshouldissueinstructionsontheproperuseofterminalspace,whichhelptomanagethenumberandpositionofsigns,billboards,stands,panelsandotherforms of advertisement.To avoid the riskoftripping,advertisements,loosefurnitureandstallsshouldbekeptclearofroutesac-cessibletopersonswithimpairedvision.

Signsshouldbelocatedthroughouttheen-tireterminalandbepositionedsoasnottocausetheriskofcollision.Theyshouldbeeasilyperceived,bearinginformationwhichislegibleinalllightingconditions.

Signswhichhavebeenlitarenoticedmorereadily thanunlitsigns.Lightsandmove-mentdrawourattentionandcanbeusedfor briefing people on service alterations.Characters used in the signs should begraphicallyclearandthenumberofchar-acters limited.The size of the charactersand their readingdistanceaffect visibility.Blacktextonawhitebackgroundiseasytoread,whileredtextonablackbackgroundishardtodiscern.

Inadditiontolightandcolour,thesymbolsused on signs should be intuitive. Traf-fic lightsat theendsofescalatorsand intheKamppiPublicTransportInterchange'sdepartureplatforms,forexample,success-fully incorporate colours and symbols toguidepassengers.

Inadditiontolightandcontrastdifferences,alternatingsurfacematerialscanbeusedadvantageouslyinthedesignofaccessibleroutes.Wecanfeelthesurfacematerialofaflooraswewalkonit,andnoticewhenitchanges.Differentsurfacematerialscanbeusedtocomplementguidanceandtosepa-ratesomefunctionsfromothers.However,toavoidslippingandstumbling,thefrictionin adjacent materials should remain ap-proximatelythesame.Allsurfacematerialsshouldbenon-slippery,evenwhenwet.

Other surface materials must be easilydistinguishablefromtheguidingandwarn-ing materials. To make interpreting signseasier, it is recommended that a uniformsystemofguidingstripesbeappliedinallstations.

Outdoor signs must function properly, in-cludingduringthewinter.Itisrecommended

thatasnowmeltingsystembeinstalledinentranceandfeedertrafficareas.Uniformmetalstripsprovideadequateguidanceforpersonswithimpairedvision.Whenawhitecanemakescontactwiththestrip,theim-pactisfeltinthehand.Thisalsocreatesasoundwhichprovidesadditionalguidancetoapersonwithimpairedvision.

Signsforlifts,restroomsandotherservicesshouldalsobeinBrailleorbetactile.Notall personswith impairedvisioncan readBraille. They benefit from clear symbolsandtactilelettersandnumbers.MessagesinBrailleshouldbelocated1,300to1,400mmabovethefloorsurface.

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INCIDENTSANDSERVICEALTERATIONS

If possible, information on incidents andservice alterations be available duringjourneyplanning.Suchinformationshouldbedisseminatedonlineandinstationandplatform areas.Accessing information onservice alterations is problematic for per-sonswithlowhearingorvision,inparticu-lar.Inadditiontoaudibleannouncements,informationshouldalsobeshownvisuallyon e.g. displays and information panels.Visual information on service alterationsshouldbeemphasised,bycombiningtextwithmovementandcolour.

Information on temporary traffic arrange-mentsandconstructionworkinthestationareashouldbeavailable,forinstanceinon-linejourneyplanners.Guidanceforpedes-triansshouldfunctionproperlyduringserv-ice alterations too, taking all user groupsintoconsiderationandneverallowingpe-destrians toenter traffic lanes.Roadbar-riers, guidance along an abnormal route,andrampsandhandrailssatisfyingacces-sibilitycriteria,mustbeinstalledatthesitepriortoanyconstructionwork.Theyshouldalsobeingoodconditionalongtheentirelengthoftheaffectedarea.

To enable advance route planning, liftmaintenance and repairs should be an-nounced online and at terminals. Whilemaintenance or repairwork is being per-formed on a lift or escalator, or when aliftorescalator isoutoforder,alternativemeansofmovingtoadifferentlevelmustbeofferedtopeoplewithreducedmobility.Liftsshouldbeinstalledinpairs,toensurethatoneisfunctionalwhenevertheotherisundermaintenance.

Threeescalators shouldbe installed sideby side, to ensure that pedestrian traffic

continuestomoveinbothdirectionswhenoneescalatorisundermaintenance.Whenpedestrian traffic is exceptionally busy,carryingbicyclesandpramsonanescala-tor should be forbidden. During the busi-estrushhours,itmustbepossibletolimitpassengeraccesstothestationandplat-formarea.To reduce the riskofhazards,itshouldbepossibletocontrolpassengerflowtotheplatformsbyadjustingtheesca-latorspeed.

Inthefuture,moreattentionshouldbepaidtoemergencyexitsintunnels.Allpassen-gersshouldbeabletoexitametrocardur-inganemergency, includingpersonswithreducedmobility.Inanemergency,no-oneshouldneedtostaybehindandawaithelpin situations where other passengers areabletoexitthemetrocar.

Emergency exit platforms located in thetunnels should be on the same level asnormalplatforms,toenableeasyexitusingassistivedeviceswithwheels.Thewidthofemergency exit platforms should be suf-ficient toaccommodatewheelchairusers,withoutblockingthewayforotherpassen-gers.

Exitareasshouldbeequippedwithlifts,orsome other exit route without stairs, thatcanbeusedevenwhenthereisafire.Exitareasmustbeequippedwithadirectvoiceconnection to an exchange people cancontactforhelp,incaseofemergencies.

Emergency exits should also be installedandappropriatelymaintainedinthosepartsofthenetworkthatrunaboveground.

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Futuretargetsforimprovement

This report primarily focuses on the im-provement of built environments, percep-tion and guidance. A positive travel ex-perience is, however, the sum of manyfactors. In theFuturePublicTransport forAllProject,wedecidednottoincludeserv-ices and new technology for aiding guid-anceandprovidingaccesstoinformation.Accesstotravelinformationinrealtimeistechnicallypossibleandmanyapplicationsarecurrentlybeingtestedandactivelyde-veloped. Within station environments, im-plementing technology that supports thedifferent senses, and new technologicalapplications that facilitate orientation andaccess to travel information,enablesper-sonswithsensorydisturbancestofunctionindependently.

TampereUniversityofTechnologyhasde-velopedamobileapplication,Matkakump-pani,whichiscurrentlybeingtestrun.Thisapplication suggests alternative routesand provides door-to-door instructions forusersof public transport. It alsogives in-structions during the journey.TheMatka-kumppani application is controlled usingmobilephonekeysorthroughspeech,andfeaturesspeechrecognitionandspokenin-structions69.

TheTechnicalResearchCentreofFinland,VTT,hasdevelopedamobileapplicationtoprovideguidancetocitytravellers.Thisap-plication is called KAMO, and part of the

research was financed by Helsinki CityTransport(HKL).Whileatastop,theuserreceives real-time information by mobilephone, about bus and tram connectionsarrivingatthestop.Userscanalsomoni-tor theprogressof their selectedvehicle,stop-by-stop, on a mobile phone screen.Inthefuture,thisservicewillbeavailablewithaprofilecustomisedonlytoreceivein-formationoncertainconnections,routesoraddedservicesselectedbytheuser70.

Dependentonareal-timeinformationsys-tem,asystemforchangingplatformshasbeenunder development forHelsinkiAir-port, under the Ministry of Transport andCommunications'AINO project. The ideawas to enable thedriver to communicatewith the information system so that dataon the driver's route/connection could belinked to themonitoredvehicle.However,noviabletechnicalsolutioncouldbeidenti-fied.

The Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) iscurrently testing an online solution whichenablesuserstomonitorthemovementsofbusesandtramsintheHelsinkiregion,viaonline maps and accurate to the nearestsecond.Theobjectiveistoextendtheap-plicationtocoverthemovementsof1,500publictransportvehicles.UsingawirelessLAN,passengerscanconnecttotheInter-net and receive real-time information onthearrivalofpublic transport,progressof

69 http://matkakumppani.cs.uta.fi/70 http://www.vtt.fi/uutta/2007/20070521.jsp

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travel and vehicle change alternatives atforthcomingstops71.

In the Norwegian AKTA project, a serv-ice has been developed for ordering anddownloadingtimetableinformationbymo-bile phone, mainly intended for personswith impaired vision. Using this service,a passenger can contact the bus driver,who receives information on the passen-gerwaitingatthestopandanyassistanceheorshemayneed.Thepassengercanalsoenterhisorherdestination,enablingthedrivertopreparetoprovideassistanceat thecorrectstop.Partof theproject in-volvedtestingnewtechnologytoidentifyavehicleasitapproachesastop.However,thetechnicalapplicationsneedfurtherim-provementbeforetheservicecanbecomefullyoperational72.

The futureobjectiveofpublic transport isto increase passenger numbers and re-duce travel by private car. Despite this,publictransport'sshareofalljourneyshasdecreased. In addition to lifestyle habitspromoting travel by private car, reasonsfor this regrettable development includereduced levels of service, combined withhigher ticketprices. In comparison topri-

vatecars,publictransportpricelevelshaveincreasedyearbyyear73.Proactivemeas-uresandchangesinattitudearerequiredtomakepublictransportmoreattractive.

Theaccessibilityofstopsandstations,bothbybicycleandonfoot,mustbeimprovedinco-operationwithurbanplanners.Car-freeneighbourhoodsarebeingplannedinHel-sinki'sKalasatamaandJätkäsaari,enabledbygoodrailtrafficconnectionsandproxim-itytoametrostation.IntheMarja-VantaaCentre,carparksareclusteredaroundtheRingRailLinestation,topromoterailtrafficClear,safeandwellmaintainedpedestrianandcycleroutestothestationcontributetoincreaseduseofrailtraffic.Whendesignedonpedestrians'terms,urbanenvironmentsbecomesafer,andofhigherquality.

In addition to citybikes, the plans includeincreasing the number of shared cars attraffic stations. Providing shared electriccarsmaysignificantlyreducetheneedforprivatecars.Chargingstationsforelectriccarsandbusesmustbetakenintoaccountinstationenvironmentplanning.

71 http://transport.wspgroup.fi/hklkartta/72 Tveit, Ø. & Flø, M. 2007. AKTA Evaluering av Demonstrator. [AKTA - Evaluating the demo version.]73 Ympäristöministeriö. 2007. Kohti kestäviä valintoja. Kansallisesti ja Globaalisti kestävä Suomi. s.21. [Finland’s environmental administration. 2007. Towards sustainable choices. A nationally and globally sustainable Finland. p.21.]

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Summary

Forsuccessfultravel,eachlinkofthejour-neymustsucceed. Ifanyelementsalongthewaypreventfurtherprogress,thejour-neywillbebroken.Ifinsufficientadvancein-formationisavailableforjourneyplanning,travelmayevenbecompletelyprevented.Acomplete journey includesplanning thejourney, reaching thepublic transportsta-tion or terminal from the point of depar-ture,buyingaticket,goingtotheplatform,boarding the vehicle and travelling to thedestination.Changingfromonevehicletoanotherissometimesrequired.

Vehicle accessibility has been improvedbydeveloping low-floorbuses, tramsandtrains.SM5trainswillimprovetheusabilityof commuter trains in regional traffic andon the Ring Rail Line. Tram models withlowfloorsareeasiertoboardandexit.Thecompatibilityoftheplatformandthevehicleisanimportantaspect.Stopsshouldbear-rangedsafely,ensuringshortwalkingdis-tanceswhenchangingvehicles.

According to our user study, themetro isthebestoptionintermsofusability.Safetyin the platform area can be improved byinstallingscreendoorsandprovidingguid-ancetopersonswithimpairedvision.Theneed for feeder trafficandvehiclechang-es reduces the attraction ofmetro traffic.Changing from one vehicle to the nextshouldbeflexibleandtakeaslittletimeaspossible.Intervalsbetweenmetroconnec-tionsmust be sufficiently short.However,total travel times may become unreason-

ablyprotractedasconnectionintervalsforfeedertrafficgrow.Feedertrafficoperationsthereforerequirefurtherimprovement.

Stationareasandtherelatedservicescon-tinuouslydevelopandchange.Unlesstheyareunderstoodaspartofawhole,previ-ously sound solutions and practices be-comedysfunctional.Thisshouldbetakenintoconsiderationwhencarryingoutmodi-fications.

Excellentguidelinesandsolutionsexistforplanning urban environments which ac-commodatepersonswithreducedmobility.Theseguidelinesshouldbeappliedwhennewpublicbuildingsaredesignedandoldonesrenovatedormodernised.Theresultsof the user study show that, when usingpublictransport,personswithsensorydis-orders,andwithimpairedvisioninparticu-lar,continue to faceamultitudeofasyetunidentifiedobstacles.Accessibilitycriteriashould cover all user groups. Guidelinesmust be supplemented with instructionsconcerning persons with sensory disor-ders, toensure theusabilityandaccessi-bilityofpublictransport.

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InstructionCards

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THESTATIONAREAANDITSIMMEDIATESURROUNDINGS,FEEDERTRAFFICTERMINAL

©Sotera

An uncomplicated and accessible route from the terminal to the feeder traffic area:–Feedertrafficarealocatedclosetotheterminal–Theroutetothefeedertrafficareadoesnotincludeelevationdifferencesorcrossings–Routeincludescontrastingstripesandwarningareastoassistpersonswithimpairedvision–Walkingsurfacesaresmoothandnon-slippery,evenwhenwet–Thefootpathandtrafficlanesareseparatedfromeachotherbyakerb–Thefootpathedgeborderingatrafficlaneismarkedusingcontrastdifferencesanddiversematerials

Clear maps and travel information in a multisensory format:–Aneasy-to-readmapdepictingthefeedertrafficarea–Atactilemapofthefeedertrafficarea–Travelinformationdisplayedinaneasilyspotted,prominentplace–Audibleandvisualtravelinformation

Lighting, daylight management, furniture:–Sufficientgenerallightingatalltimesoftheday–Glasssurfacesmarkedwithcontrastingcolours–Noshadowscastbyglassceilingsontotheplatformsurface–Waitingareasequippedwithasufficientnumberofseats–Furnitureandstructuresnotmadefromreflectivematerials–Areaswithfurnituremarkedwithcontrastdifferences

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THESTATIONAREAANDITSIMMEDIATESURROUNDINGS,FEEDERTRAFFICSTOPAccessibility of feeder traffic stops:–Ashortandeasilyaccessiblerouteleadstofeedertrafficstopsfromtherailtrafficterminalsandplatforms–Theroutedoesnotincludeelevationdifferencesorcrossings–Therouteincludescontrastingstripesandwarningareasforthebenefitofpersonswithimpairedvision–Walkingsurfacesaresmoothandnon-slippery,evenwhenwet–Thefootpathandtrafficlanesareseparatedfromeachotherbyakerb–Thefootpathedgeborderingatrafficlaneismarkedusingcontrastdifferencesanddiversematerials

Travel information:–Thenumbersofdepartureplatformscanbecheckedattheplatformusingthetactilesense–Stopsdisplaytimetableinformationinreal-timeandinformationonpossibleservicealterations.–Inadditiontovisibletravelinformation,audibleinformationmustalsobeavailable,e.g.ascreenreaderviaaninductionloop

Lighting and contrast:–Sufficientgenerallightingatalltimesoftheday–Glasssurfacesmarkedwithcontrastingcolours–Thestopismarkedwithdiversematerialsandcontrastdifferences–Thestopisequippedwithawarningarea,alignedwiththedoorofthearrivingvehicle

©Sotera

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THESTATIONAREAANDITSIMMEDIATESURROUNDINGS,INTERSECTION

©Sotera

Crossings in the vicinity of stations should be planned according to the SuRaKu Accessibility Guidelines, regarding a special level of accessibility:–Pedestriansandcyclistshaveseparatelanes–Sufficientlightingatcrossings–Markingsareingoodconditionandthecolourcontrastofstripesissufficient–Thecrossingisprecededbyawarningarea,whichcanbeidentifiedbyitscontrastdifferencesanddistinctivematerial–Thereisaramp-kerbstoneatthecrossing–Crossingsareequippedwithaudibleandvisualsignals–Thepush-buttononatraffic-lightpoleisreachablefromawheelchair–Walkingsurfacesaresmoothandnon-slippery,evenwhenwet–Theroutefromthecrossingtothenearestentranceismarkedwithacontrastingstripe,forthebenefitofpersonswithimpairedvision

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ENTRANCE

Accessible main entrance:–Themainentranceisequippedwithautomaticdoors–Therearenoelevationdifferencesattheentrance–Theentranceisequippedwithaudibleandvisualsignals

The entrance is easy to identify and clearly distinguishable from the building's facade:–Theentrancehasacanopyorroof–Increasedlightingintensityattheentranceprovidesaguidingelementandpreventsglarewhenthelightingintensitychanges–Awarningareaislocatedinfrontoftheentrance–Thereshouldbenodangerofassistivedeviceswithwheels,orguidedogs'paws,beingcaughtingratingsetc.

©Sotera

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THESTATIONBUILDING,THETICKETHALL

©Sotera

An accessible route leading from the entrance to the means of moving to a different level and to service counters:–Therouteissufficientlywidetoaccommodateallusergroups–Theroutetotheescalatorismarkedwithacontrastingstripeandmetalstrip–Theroutetotheliftsismarkedwithametalstripandsignplates,ifnecessary–Atactileandclearmapofthestationbuilding–Lightingthatfacilitatesperceptionandorientation

Machines, service counters and furniture:–Ticketmachinesanddevicesareuniformandeasilyidentifiedinallstations–Machinesanddevicesareeasytousebyallusergroups–Machinesanddevicesarepositionedinawaythatpreventsqueueingpeoplefromblockingthepassage–Hearingconditionsareoptimalaroundservicecounters–Queueingsystemscanbeusedthroughmultiplesenses–Servicecountersaccommodateallusergroups–Furnitureisuniformlylocatedinallstations–Furnituredoesnotposeariskofcollisionorstumbling–Furnitureiseasytoperceiveandstandsoutfromthebackgroundandfloorsurfaceduetocontrastdifferences

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THESTATIONBUILDING,MOVINGTOADIFFERENTLEVELEscalators:–Themainpassageleadstotheescalator–Awarningareaprecedestheescalator–Thedirectionoftheescalatorismarkedusingcolouredlightsandsymbols–Atthetopandbottomofescalators,thereisasufficientlylargeclearing–Ametalstripandacontrastingstripeleadtotheescalator

Lifts:–Liftsareequippedwithaudiblebeacons–Theliftiscalledbyamotiondetector–Anaudiblesignalannouncesthatthelifthasarrivedatthefloor–Thebuttonsintheliftareinlogicalorderandeasilyidentifiedusingthetactilesensealone–Ametalstripleadstothelift–Thereissufficientspaceinfrontofthelift

Stairs:–Theedgesofstairsaremarkedwithcontrastingstripesandstepsareeasytotread–Ahandrailrunsuninterruptedalongtheentirelengthofthestairs,guidancemarkingsinBrailleareattachedtothehandrail

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THE STATION BUILDING, GUIDANCE ON PLATFORMSABOVEGROUND

Travel information and timetables:–Travelinformationcanbeeasilylocated–Timetabledisplaysareshieldedfromreflections–Displaycharactersarelargeandclear,withasufficientcontrastbetweenthecharacteranditsbackground–Timetablesshowinformationonlow-floorconnections–Aninductionloopisinstalledontotheframeofthetimetable–Theplatformincludesasoundjetarea,whereaudibletravelinformationhasa45dBintensity

Signs on platforms:–Technicalsolutionsarepartoftheguidancesystemofaplatform.Forexample,agutterrunningalongtheedgeoftheplatformcanfunctionasasectionofthewarningarea,whileagutterrunningthroughthemiddleoftheplatformcandoubleasastripeassistingpersonswithimpairedvision

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THESTATIONBUILDING,GUIDANCEONPLATFORMSINTUNNELS

Signs and travel information:–Signallightsatthetopandbottomofescalators;signalincludesbothcolourandasymbol–Awarningareaislocatedatthetopandbottomofescalatorsandinfrontoftheplatformscreendoors–Aguidingstripeleadsfromtheescalatortothenearestplatformscreendoor–Warningareasarelocatedinintersections–Platformscreendoorscanbeclearlydistinguishedfromtheplatformwalls–Inthemetro,tactileinformationonthedirectionoftravelislocatednexttotheplatformscreendoor–Travelinformationcanbefoundnexttotheplatformscreendoors,ateyelevel

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