ADAPT - Assistance for Disabled Air Passenger Travel
Lead Participant:
GRID SMARTER CITIES LTD
Abstract
"Disabled people experience barriers to air travel including poor information on accessibility and services, having to book assistance 48 hours in advance, gaps in assistance services and help connecting with onward journeys by plane, train, coach or taxi. 1 in 5 report difficulties in accessing transportation ([ONS, 2011][0]) and make 62% of trips compared to those without ([NTS2015][1]). The [CAA2016/17][2] shows for the top 30 UK airports, the PSAN access and service 'very good' category numbers dropping from 10 to 6 and the poor' category rising from 1 to 4 whilst PSAN numbers are growing twice as fast as others with an 11% or 300,000 PSAN increase last year. There is increasing legislative pressure to improve accessibility and enable spontaneous air travel ([DfT2017][3]).
Using Heathrow Airport, Terminal 3, passenger journeys, this Feasibility Study looks at the potential, strengths and weakness of a developing integrated mobile phone app that can:
* Let PSANs specify their needs prior to travel
* Exchange real-time messages with airport service providers
* Alert staff to when and where a PSAN arrives on site;
* Pin-point the location of the passenger in the airport to staff
* Enable independent passenger wayfinding around the airport before boarding or connecting with onward journey.
* Access contextually relevant information such as location data
* Enable service providers to integrate the information into their resource planning and management to enable efficient and pro-active support service delivery
App user-testing by passengers and service providers will look at the user- journey from transport mode arrival point (e.g. Heathrow Express), through terminal (landside and airside) to the point of departure at the gate (flight transfers and inbound journeys are also covered). This will identify technical and passenger service improvements for final app build along with opportunities and threats to its exploitation and success.
Improve service consistency and quality for PSANs (whether mobility/dexterity impairments, sensory impairments (vision or hearing), or aspects of neurodiversity including (but not limited to) dyslexia, dyspraxia, diverse approaches to learning, autism and mental health.
For PSAN, such a product will increase traveller confidence in, flexibility and overall experience of travel through airports giving help throughout the journey, with just some elements of the journey) or only if requested. Also; greater efficiency and service flexibility to a fast growing passenger base, better matching individuals' needs with services provided by airport management and contractors such as airlines, security and retailers.
[0]: https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/551437/national-travel-survey-2015.pdf
[2]: http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP1577_Airport_Accessibility_Report_FINAL.pdf
[3]: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/638404/accessibility-action-plan-consultation.pdf"
Using Heathrow Airport, Terminal 3, passenger journeys, this Feasibility Study looks at the potential, strengths and weakness of a developing integrated mobile phone app that can:
* Let PSANs specify their needs prior to travel
* Exchange real-time messages with airport service providers
* Alert staff to when and where a PSAN arrives on site;
* Pin-point the location of the passenger in the airport to staff
* Enable independent passenger wayfinding around the airport before boarding or connecting with onward journey.
* Access contextually relevant information such as location data
* Enable service providers to integrate the information into their resource planning and management to enable efficient and pro-active support service delivery
App user-testing by passengers and service providers will look at the user- journey from transport mode arrival point (e.g. Heathrow Express), through terminal (landside and airside) to the point of departure at the gate (flight transfers and inbound journeys are also covered). This will identify technical and passenger service improvements for final app build along with opportunities and threats to its exploitation and success.
Improve service consistency and quality for PSANs (whether mobility/dexterity impairments, sensory impairments (vision or hearing), or aspects of neurodiversity including (but not limited to) dyslexia, dyspraxia, diverse approaches to learning, autism and mental health.
For PSAN, such a product will increase traveller confidence in, flexibility and overall experience of travel through airports giving help throughout the journey, with just some elements of the journey) or only if requested. Also; greater efficiency and service flexibility to a fast growing passenger base, better matching individuals' needs with services provided by airport management and contractors such as airlines, security and retailers.
[0]: https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/2011census
[1]: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/551437/national-travel-survey-2015.pdf
[2]: http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP1577_Airport_Accessibility_Report_FINAL.pdf
[3]: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/638404/accessibility-action-plan-consultation.pdf"
Lead Participant | Project Cost | Grant Offer |
|---|---|---|
| GRID SMARTER CITIES LTD | £217,096 | £ 151,967 |
Participant |
||
| LIVING MAP LIMITED | £107,763 | £ 75,434 |
| INNOVATE UK |
People |
ORCID iD |
| Mark FJ Smith (Project Manager) |