Successful transport decision-making - Osmose

FS 66: Impaired people
Vol 2 - Table of Contents
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T19
Who are impaired people?
Impaired people are those members of a community who suffer
a disability or impairment which limits their activities or
opportunities. Special consideration will need to be given to the
requirements of impaired individuals to encourage and enable
their engagement in a project. Their involvement in
engagement activities is vital, as the focus of many transport
related projects is to improve travelling environments for
impaired people.
There are many types of impairments to consider when
arranging stakeholder engagement strategies. This fact sheet
focuses on three, which should always be considered when
planning and carrying out an engagement event or strategy:
Access: those who suffer mobility impairments which
restrict movement and access;
Visual: those who are blind or partially sighted; and
Hearing: those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Key issues
The following should be considered when engaging with
impaired stakeholders
ls information and promotional material about the project
and engagement events and activities accessible to all
impaired individuals?
Is the event planned on an appropriate day and time (e.g.
avoid late afternoon and evenings to encourage the
involvement of impaired women with child care
responsibilities)?
Is the venue fully accessible to all impaired individuals
(includes getting to, getting into and moving around the
building)?
Are written materials, graphics and maps accessible to all
(induction loops and material in braille or large print may be
required)?
Is additional assistance required at the event (may include
sign language interpreters and assistance for those who are
less mobile)?
Benefits of engaging with impaired
stakeholders
There are significant benefits to involving impaired individuals
in transport related projects. These include:
Impaired people will be able to identify specific problems,
concerns and priorities based on their their own
experiences;
They might make useful suggestions for improvements that
will benefit other groups aswell;
More appropriate strategies, measures or improvements
will be developed and implemented for impaired people;
Any improvements aimed at impaired people are likely to
also improve the environment for everyone else; and
The process will help to demarginalise impaired people and
involve them in the decision-making process.
When to involve impaired people?
It is important to involve impaired people from the outset of
planning a engagement strategy, as they will be able to offer
valuable advice on what to consider and what provisions should
be made for impaired people, and add credibility to the process.
The requirements of impaired people must be identified early on,
particularly for example, if project materials need to be
translated into braille. Venue locations and event dates are likely
to be affected by the needs of impaired individuals and should
therefore be given early consideration.
NOTES
The experiences and views of impaired people are important in
the identification of issues, in particular those concerning access
and mobility within the transport sector. Further, impaired people
should be encouraged to propose solutions to transport related
issues that affect them and should be able to influence the
generation and selection of preferred options.
Use techniques and materials that will allow all stakeholders to
participate in the transport project.
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