Title

Travel behaviours, transport choices and lifestyles of disabled adults in Scotland, UK

Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2007

Subject Area

Location - UK, Mobility - Disabled, Mobility - Mobility aid, Modes of Transport - Bus

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of the Scottish Household Survey to explore the transport behaviors, travel choices and lifestyles of disabled adults in Scotland, UK. The main aim was to establish whether ‘inequalities in transport use’ identified in previous research still existed, and if so, in which ways. The analysis revealed that disabled adults are 50% less likely to make any kind of trip compared to non-disabled adults and 24% less likely compared to adults with a Long Term (LT) illness. Overall, disabled adults were less likely to have used local bus or train services, or walked either for ‘leisure, or ‘purposeful’ reasons, compared to adults with a LT illness, or non-disabled adults. Over three quarters of disabled adults indicated they experienced difficulties in performing certain daily activities. The greatest difficulties experienced concerned climbing stairs, walking for 10 minutes and standing for 10-minutes, all activities involved in use of public transport services. Indeed, twice as many disabled adults reported difficulties using buses, trains, taxis and cars, compared to adults with a LT illness. Over half of disabled adults cited ‘health’ as a reason, and over a third as the main reason for not using buses more often, compared to adults with a LT illness (36% and 22% respectively) and non-disabled adults (2% and 1% respectively). The results of this analysis led to a series of research questions to be addressed in future studies.

Rights

Permission to publish given by TRANSED 2007