The II edition of this year’s social campaign entitled “Przyjacielu ustąp miejsca” (Please give up your seat my friend) has ended. We encouraged to help the disabled, and gave advice on how to support them so that they did not feel left on their own in public transport. We will continue this action.
Posters with the motto, information on the ZTM website, Facebook, internet forums and in media, once again have drawn attention to the matter of helping disabled people instead of ignoring them. This is as important for breaking down barriers as investing in modern vehicles and modernization of transport infrastructure.
The message of the campaign is an appeal for kindness towards people who have more difficulties to use public transport – not only the disabled but also pregnant women and older passengers. The message remains up-to-date all the year round. ZTM also encourages passengers to give their opinions. The key investments are discussed with the organizations that represent the disabled. We also regularly ask for opinions and evaluate services in special questionnaires.
The statistical data show that among 180 thousand disabled people in Warsaw, many consider public transport as the basic mean of transport. The disabled people discern failures and impediments in access and functionality of public transport, but, in general, they have a positive opinion about it. The respondents appreciate introduced changes that facilitate their access to public transport. Although there are still many things to be done, according to the respondents, the comfort of travelling has increased significantly comparing to the state a few years ago. They are also aware that the process of adjusting public transport is long-term and systematic. They accept present conditions of travelling in public transport vehicles and they trust that the public transport standard considering its adjustment to the needs of the disabled will be constantly increasing.
ZTM attempts not to let down the passengers. However, to make the public transport passenger-friendly (for the disabled and others) providing the latest models of vehicles is insufficient. Their passengers should be kind and helpful to each other. We will be reminding of this.
ZTM has conducted quantitative (in 2010) and qualitative research (in 2011) concerning needs, evaluations and opinions of the disabled public transport users. The outcome shows that the significant majority of the disabled travels in public transport vehicles. During the three-month period before the research the respondents were travelling by buses (99 per cent), trams (76 per cent) and underground (57 per cent). This shows the advantage of public transport over a private car which was used by 20 per cent, or taxi – 13 per cent of the disabled persons.
The research results also show that all the means of public transport are evaluated by the respondents either well or very well. For example, 75 per cent of the respondents assessed the adjustment of the buses for the needs of the disabled as good and 16 per cent as very good. The advantages of bus transport were among other, increasing number of low-floor vehicles (over 85 per cent operating during rush hours, 100 per cent during holidays), increased frequency, and short time of waiting in case of a change, and numerous stops.
The changes in other “areas” of adjustment are also recognized. The respondents usually answered to all the given questions (among others, the information on the bus and tram stops, clarity of the tables with routes, distribution of the validating machines) that they are satisfied or very satisfied (70-80 per cent).
Published 15 September 2011
Last modified 3 June 2019
