I was exploring when I found this very fine accessible bus stop near Yarraman station, in Railway Parade.
Two routes serve it, but it’s in a residential area, and is not a major stop. Phillip Mallis’s bus stop patronage map showed it got 8 boardings a day in 2017-19.
Looking at the site on Google Maps Streetview – it seems to have been upgraded around 2010.
It’s better than it used to be, but there’s an obvious problem. There’s no footpath connection.
So for anybody requiring stepless access, how do they get to the bus stop?
By bus, I guess…
People of a certain age will recall The Goodies pirate radio episode, when Graeme decides to start a pirate bus service, with stops on rafts outside the five mile limit.
Accessible?
The PTV Journey Planner and web site seems to consider this stop to be accessible.
I wonder how many other stops there are like this.
Turns out just down the street there’s another one. It’s less obvious, but this too has no level access to the bus stop.
In 2021 Victoria Walks published their Getting To The Bus Stop report, which highlighted issues with people getting to bus stops safely and conveniently.
Missing footpaths on a street without too much traffic can probably be overcome by many people.
But if you’ve got mobility difficulties, a ramp or a connecting footpath will be important.
Unfortunately this is like so much of the transport network if you’re not driving: disjointed, incomplete – and this is why people often give up and take the car instead.
The tweet above was aimed at bike lanes, but public transport timetables (poor frequencies, mistimed connections, missing route coverage) are also a prime example of this.
And accessibility and access to stops and vehicles is also important. If they’re not provided, some people simply can’t use the service.
6 replies on “When is an accessible bus stop not accessible?”
Here’s some more examples I found back in 2015 – some were technically “accessible” because they had a ramp back to road level:
https://wongm.com/2015/07/disabled-access-bus-stop-to-nowhere/
Not unusual, most of the accessible bus stops on railway side of local bus route (706) are like that. At least they provide a level area, to get on and off the buses.
Several of the bus stop on same route (706) are literally a bus stop sign in the middle of the road, with no where safely to even stand ( see https://photos.app.goo.gl/ziaP3eEDBzC7FsLt7 ). The ridiculous part is this specific bus route is only kept running, for the elderly, who wouldn’t be even able to use the current bus stops in this section…
Also there was even worse case locally, where a bus stop (Stop ID 45426) was upgraded, with path added, when traffic signals were added to intersection (Governor Road / Bate Dr, Braeside). The problem was the bus stop and path, were completely fenced around, completely blocking any access to the walking paths behind the bus stop…. which was a good bird watching spot to visit.
I’d forgotten about this: possibly the example that’s closest to the CBD, and on one of the busiest bus routes:
https://goo.gl/maps/BzBxeB8w1eRsx6TC8
Currently the stop is not in use due to building works. Will be interesting to see if it gets an upgrade.
I may be showing my age by pointing out that, in using that Goodies reference, you are showing your age Daniel…
I like how they installed some TGSI but never bothered about the path or the ramp
My former sister in law this evening complained about the height of the middle to top step of a B class tram. It isn’t until you begin to get old that you really start to notice such things. I can barely believe your first couple of photos.