Title

The place of disabled access in economic appraisal in the UK

Authors

Alice Maynard

Document Type

Conference Paper

Publication Date

2007

Subject Area

Infrastructure - Low Floor, Location - UK, Mobility - Disability Discrimination Act, Mobility - Disabled, Modes of Transport - Tram, Transport planning - Accessibility planning, Transport services - Cost

Abstract

This research took as its starting point a Swedish study [Ljungberg, 2003] demonstrating that although national transport bodies advocate cost benefit analysis, local and regional transport professionals tend not to use it, especially if they feel it will not achieve the result they want. The research considered the place of disabled access in economic appraisal of three tram schemes in the United Kingdom, taken across different geographies and timeframes, and also considered the impact of the changing regulatory and social framework within which they were developed. The research used interviews and documentation/archival data in a multiple-case study approach. In particular, the research examined on what basis (methods, data and planners’ consultation of disabled people) costs and benefits of disabled access were incorporated into the appraisal process for the three tram projects. The research found that because there is little guidance available in the UK on incorporating disabled access into the economic appraisal, practitioners are unclear how to deal with it. However, they are clear that the lack of monetisation of benefits is detrimental to the business case. This research demonstrates that, without adequate guidance on the explicit incorporation of the benefits of disabled access in the economic appraisal of transport projects, practitioners are left to their own devices. This means that a systematic approach to evaluating benefits is unlikely, which will lead to a negative impact on the ‘bottom line’ when investment decisions are being made. Better guidance is needed on accounting for disabled access in appraisal.

Rights

Permission to publish given by TRANSED 2007