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"Complete accessibility in public transport" - Successful cooperation between STUVA and VDV Akademie

On 27 and 28 August 2015, a two-day symposium on "Complete accessibility in public transport" took place in Berlin. 61 participants followed the interesting program, which was presented by nine specialist speakers. The occasion of the public transport conference was an amendment of the Passenger Transport Act (PBefG), which took effect at the beginning of 2013. Passenger transport authorities are required by law to include in their local public transport plans the needs of persons with reduced mobility or sensory impairments, and full accessibility for the use of local public transport by 1 January 2022. Since public transport companies are to be involved in the establishment of local public transport at an early stage according to the PBefG, there is also a need on the part of transport companies for a positioning regarding the interpretation and implementation possibilities or limits of "complete accessibility". The objective stipulated in § 8 (3) PBefG - as well as the indefinite legal concepts contained therein ("concerns of people with reduced mobility or sensory impairments", "complete accessibility") - leads to uncertainty. The meeting contributed to informing participants about the implications of the law and the resulting obligations. On both days, experts from science and practice shared their experiences in nine lectures and gave suggestions on the topic. First of all, the changed legal situation with its effects on local traffic planning and the work of the transport companies and road construction authorities was explained. It then showed the trade-offs that arise when the functional requirements of the different levels have to be reconciled, as the understanding of complete accessibility differs for example for people with disabilities and transport authorities. In addition, the regulations that are relevant for the implementation of accessibility in public transport were presented. n the further lectures practical possibilities were presented as well as options for strategic planning and subsequent implementation as well as for the structural design. The participants emphasized the great interest in the topic in all its forms and made numerous proposals for priority issues of accessibility, which should be treated at follow-up events. The event as part of the series of events organized by the VDV Academy was carried out for the first time in cooperation with the STUVA. The VDV Academy has existed since 2001. It is a registered association under the umbrella of the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV). The aim of their activities is the quality assurance of education and training in public transport and rail freight transport. Following the successful launch, STUVA and VDV-Akademie are planning further cooperation in the thematic areas, in which the STUVA can feed current findings into practice through its research activities and practical work. In addition to accessibility, these include, for example, the topics of fire protection in underground public transport systems, operational safety or the rehabilitation of tunnels and underground stations of public transport.