Examining the effectiveness of public involvement from the beginning stage of railway projects to improve accessibility

Based on satisfaction surveys on accessibility achieved in three best practices from the 1990s

Abstract

In this paper, we have examined and confirmed the effectiveness of public involvement in three selected railway projects to improve usability. These are the Hankyu Itami station project, Fukuoka Nanakuma subway line project, and Sendai Tozai subway line project. First, we analyzed their approach and process through stakeholder interviews and a literature review. Then, we carried out satisfaction surveys to collect voices of passengers, including both persons with and without mobility difficulties. Through the survey, first, we have found that persons with mobility difficulties benefit more from accessible facilities planned via public involvement. Second, accessible facilities continue to provide accessibility over time. Judging from our findings, we support public involvement as being an effective approach to improving usability.