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Accessibility Unlocking London for All Christopher Upfold Accessibility and Inclusion Manager London Underground. Agenda. Profile of our Disabled Customers Step-Free Network The past The present The future Constraints Our Customer Requirements Procurement Conclusion.
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AccessibilityUnlocking London for AllChristopher UpfoldAccessibility and Inclusion ManagerLondon Underground
Agenda • Profile of our Disabled Customers • Step-Free Network • The past • The present • The future • Constraints • Our Customer Requirements • Procurement • Conclusion
Who are our Disabled Customers? • 15-20% of Londoners are disabled • 500,000-800,000 Londoners have a Mobility Impairment • 200-400,000 Londoners significant difficulties with steps • 35-40,000 wheelchair users in London • 4-6% of LU customers have medium or heavy luggage • 2-3% of LU customers use a stick or walking aid • 100,000-120,000 Londoners have a Visual Impairment • 4,000 are guide dog users • 500,000-800,00 Londoners have a Hearing Impairment • Disabled people spend £45-50 billion / yr in the UK
Disabled People - Ability to Travel - All • Same research shows ~ 40% all disabled people (walking, hearing, seeing, understanding) are totally unable to use the Tube
Accessibility Strategy - “Unlocking London for All” LU commitment to accessibility including core network of step-free stations First published – 2002 New version of strategy this summer
Why Improve Access? • It’s the Law (Disability Discrimination Act - 1995) • DDA Part III • Since October 2004 - Compels service providers to take reasonable efforts to overcome physical obstructions which make it unreasonably difficult for a disabled person to use a service • From 2006 Public Authorities have duty to promote equality • It makes business sense • It’s the right thing to do • Our stakeholders demand it (not an option)
Step-Free Network • 45 stations are presently “step-free” out of 275 • Current step-free plans and works • 5 stations delivered in last 2 years • 5 projects on site • 16 step-free stations through PPP • London Underground responsible for rest • Many more stations for adequate step-free network • Outline plan (“Unlocking London for All”) in place • Aspirations to expand - detailed planning being done • Aspirations estimated to cost £1.5 bn+ (£100m / yr for 15 yrs) • Must deliver origins and destinations customers want / need
Step-Free Aspirations • Attempts to strike balance between complex central stations and less complex outer stations to deliver a high proportion of step-free trips • Network selection agreed to 2013 – 47 additional stations • Aspiration to expand step-free provision to 50% stations by 2020: more than 45 stations on top of 2013 • Approximately 200-250 lifts • Cost estimated to be £1.5bn+ spread over 10-15 years • Serious engineering considerations and constraints
Step-Free Constraints • Very expensive (in time and money) • Complicated station geography • Very limited space – for access and on platforms • Limited scope for station closures • Legacy problems with platforms and building fabric
What we will require from lifts • Same as everyone else – good accessible design …but also… • Reliability • Very few lost hours • Maximum cycles per day • Ease of fault rectification • Minimal footprint (maximum interior space)
Reliability • Space for a single lift • No redundancy • Current reliability ~98% • Each lift out of service ~100 hours / year • Confidence is critical for disabled people • Lifts often used continually • Need to be in service 20 hrs / day • Heavy and bulky bags • Minimal overnight time for maintenance • Ease of fault rectification
Minimal Footprint • Space on platforms often very constrained • Millimetres make the difference • Some platforms only 6-8 metres wide • <2.5 metres between lift and platform edge – safety risk • 2 metres has been accepted in some locations • Still needs to be big enough to handle wheelchairs • Which are getting larger and larger…
Procurement Options • Directives 2004/17/EC & 2004/18/EC apply • Even greater obligations in UK and London • Accessible design integrated into first principles • PPP contract for some lifts (30 year contracts) • Although only 16 stations in the contract • Even those companies will still need to purchase from lift suppliers • Purchase indirectly through 3rd party (company construction scheme) • London Underground purchase directly and provide to 3rd party
Conclusion • London Underground embarking on large expansion of step-free station • Expansion will require hundreds of new lifts • Cost of lifts marginal compared to cost of programme • 3 options for procurement • Only space for 1 lift in most circumstances • No built in redundancy • Each lift critical to step-free route through station • High Reliability Crucial