Access to stations and trains for the mobility-impaired

摘要

For the Deutsche Bahn AG the mobility-impaired are a major target customer group and considerable importance is attached within the company to the issue of "travel for the disabled", not only because of the Federal Disability Discrimination Act of 1 May 2002. As a result, on 1.7.2002 a Service Centre was set up within the Passenger Business Unit of the Deutsche Bahn AG to handle all matters relating to passengers with mobility problems. The centre's role is to coordinate all activities connected with the needs of disabled passengers, their associations and the authorities. The aim of the Deutsche Bahn AG is to implement further elements specially designed in the interests of the disabled in order to optimise the travel chain. It is therefore working on a company-wide programme for removing all obstacles to access stage by stage by scheduling a series of measures for each of the individual management companies and subsidiaries in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Act, all of which add up to a comprehensive overall multi-part plan. In applying the legislation, the Deutsche Bahn AG did not have to start from scratch, since even before 1 May 2002 it had already launched a number of actions to improve travel conditions for the disabled. In years gone by and wherever technically possible, the Deutsche Bahn AG has gradually been removing obstacles and installing new facilities.