Improving Accessibility for Older People - Investing in a Valuable Asset

This paper explores the contribution of older people to society, the role of travel in this, and whether the removal of barriers to access for older people would enable them to make a greater contribution. The paper commences by considering evidence on the value of older people to society. This shows that older people contribute in terms of expenditure in shops and other services, through employment, voluntary work, childcare and taxation. Expected demographic changes mean that society will require older people to make a greater contribution in future, hence it is prudent to consider the barriers that may hinder this. A key factor is accessibility. It is shown that the travel patterns of older people reflect their contributions to society, and so barriers to travel are likely to hinder such contributions. It is shown that most older people have the physical or mental ability to travel and that most of the barriers are to do with the environment, either during the journey or at the destination. The example of providing free off-peak bus travel for older people in Britain is shown to have brought benefits for both older people and wider society. The paper is concluded by discussion about three critical issues that need to be addressed in overcoming the barriers to access for older people: access on all stages of the journey, non-tangible barriers, and cost effectiveness in removing barriers to mobility for older people. Addressing these issues should enable older people to make a larger contribution to society.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ABE60 Accessible Transportation and Mobility. Alternate title: Improving Accessibility for Older People: Investing in a Valuable Asset
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Mackett, Roger
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC
  • Date: 2014-1-12 to 2014-1-16
• Date: 2014

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: TRB 93rd Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accessibility; Aged; Bus transit; Economic impacts; Mobility; Off peak periods; Travel patterns
• Geographic Terms: United Kingdom
• Subject Areas: Policy; Public Transportation; Society; I70: Traffic and Transport;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01516794
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 14-2706
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Mar 4 2014 11:34AM