Smart Cities Transport (SCT) developed a Mobility as a Service software solution with Accessibility options for wheelchair users and people with limited mobility. The journey planning app was initially proposed for Scotland Transport MaaS Investment Fund and aims to help the Scottish Government tackle inequality, accessibility and mobility barriers. This Scotland Transport App is a customised and improved version of our white label hyperlocal journey planner which is currently released for Waverley Council in Sydney Australia.
Waverley Transport App is our hyperlocal MaaS solution providing multimodal journey options for customers to have a seamless travel experience. It is customised for the Waverley Council jurisdiction in Sydney Australia.
Our solution is a customer-facing Mobility-as-a-Service app (iOS, Android, and mobile web) that:
Additionally, we already have wheelchair-accessibility information on stops and services for the Waverley App.
As we take a look at Scottish Transport Statistics (2019), we considered the numbers and key points as part of the initial development process for the Scotland app.[1]
Road Traffic
Road Transport Vehicle
Personal and Cross-Modal Travel
For Scotland Transport: Wheelchair, Maps, Routeplanner, we envisage producing a positive outcome for Transport Scotland by reducing traffic congestion and lessening the number of cars on the road leading to a sustainable public transport system.
Accessible and Inclusive Transport is also one of our top priorities and understanding the importance of accessibility, inclusion and equality among disabled travellers in our society is vital.
Scottish Government disability awareness:
Disability is not a minority issue, as demonstrated by the following statistics:
General Facts and Figures:
In 2019, the ‘Going the Extra Mile’ experiment “enlisted the help of five wheelchair users who tested five popular commuter journeys in London in an effort to raise awareness of accessibility issues on public transport.”
This travel experiment reveals dire commutes for wheelchair users. [2]
[2] New travel experiment reveals dire commutes for wheelchair users
Scotland’s National Transport Strategy, provides an overview of one of the four priorities of NTS2. [1]“Everyone in Scotland will share in the benefits of a modern and accessible transport system”:
Provide fair access to services needed
Easy to use for all
Affordable for all
The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS) was established in 2002 and is an advisory non-departmental public body. The Convener and Members are appointed by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity. The role of MACS is set out in the Act as being to:
consider matters about the needs of disabled persons in connection with transport that the committee think are appropriate;
advise the Scottish Ministers about those matters that the committee think are appropriate. [2]
Disability Equality Scotland (DES) is created as a membership organisation for disabled people and disability groups and organisations. They gather information about the experiences of accessibility, inclusion and equality, both good and bad. The information helps them assess the information and data when they meet with key decision-makers who are responsible for ensuring equality and human rights are in place with policies and the law.[3]
Smart Cities Transport (SCT) develops a Mobility-as-a-Service solution- Scotland Transport: Wheelchair, Maps, Routeplanner that will help the Government to tackle inequality, accessibility and mobility barriers.
Our MaaS technical solution is a multi-modal transport app, including information on wheelchair-accessible rail stations, bus services, and public toilets, and accessible parking. This will be a great aid to fostering better mobility options.
Using Scotland Transport: Wheelchair, Maps, Routeplanner can make travelling easier for people with limited movement. It can aid with every aspect of travelling from planning to actual travel and looking for better ways of navigating around new places.
Specifically:
Planning and Preparing
advanced planning of the journey, using the app
information about the physical access to the mode of transport
availability of passenger boarding assistance
Transport and Direction
multi-modal transport app, including information on wheelchair-accessible rail stations, bus services, bicycle routes, pedestrians, accessible parking.
integrated, seamless end to end journey for travellers including disabled travellers.
integrate a sustainable transport system which promotes walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport options and information
Finding Amenities
Accessible Parking
Public Toilets
Pedestrians
Our solution also caters for all modes of transport including emerging transport such as electric vehicles and autonomous vehicles. Sharing the optimal journey routes with emerging transport modes will lead to less congestion in roads and helps Transport Scotland achieve its sustainability goals.Through regular improvements to the app, we can include more useful information such as real-time data (where available) and travel updates. We want wheelchair users to continue finding the app useful for planning accessible journeys.
For the app itself, we will be measuring retention rate and reported issues and to gauge the success and impact in enabling wheelchair users to plan accessible journeys.
This journey planner is a customer-facing Mobility-as-a-Service app (iOS, Android, and mobile web).
[1] National Transport Strategy: Reduces inequalities
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