Light rail systems are slowly increasing in number in the U.K. and all planned, new systems will use low-floor vehicles. Limited design guidelines exist for buses (D.P.T.A.C. specifications) and for public transport infrastructure and interchanges (Barham et al., 1994). The latter, valuable as they are, include street-running light rail, but do not really take into account low-floor trams. Neither do they deal with vehicle design. There has thus been a gap in the provision of design guidelines for light rail vehicles and associated infrastructure.
This gap has been filled by complementary access guidelines derived by CILT during its study of the potential for street-running trams in London (which was assisted by London Transport's Unit for Disabled Passengers). The guidelines were informed by discussion with disabled people, experience of existing light rail systems both in the U.K. and on the continent, and a survey of the state of the art of low-floor tram technology (Wood, 1994).
This paper describes and expands upon the guidelines and the background to them, with reference to existing examples of good practice. Both mobility and sensory disabilities are covered.
[If you have come to this point by following a reference link from within the text, simply click on your 'return' button to go back to your place in the article.]
Barham, P., P. Oxley & T. Shaw (1994) Accessible Public Transport Infrastructure: Guidelines for the Design of Interchanges, Terminals and Stops Mobility Unit of the Department of Transport and Passenger Transport Executive Group.