TRAN

Mind the Gap: The EU’s public transport sector is pivotal in the daily lives of its citizens. Considering that over 80 million Europeans have a disability that may comprise their ability to partake in shared mobility services, how should the EU innovate and adapt its public transportation systems to be more inclusive and accessible, catering…

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN)

Mind the Gap: The EU’s public transport sector is pivotal in the daily lives of its citizens. Considering that over 80 million Europeans have a disability that may comprise their ability to partake in shared mobility services, how should the EU innovate and adapt its public transportation systems to be more inclusive and accessible, catering to the diverse needs of all its users?

Submitted by: Inez Cnossen, Raquel Simões, Suzanne de Vos, Kjelt Weyprecht, Akın Çetinbağ (TR, Chairperson),

The European Youth Parliament is committed to guaranteeing affordable access to public transportation for individuals with disabilities. Additionally, it strives to increase the visibility and acknowledgement of the disabled community by promoting their representation and strengthening their integration within society through diverse social initiatives,

because

  • One-sixth of EU citizens experience mild to severe disabilities, 
  • Persons with disabilities face a poverty rate 70% higher than the EU average, further exacerbated by Europe’s high public transit costs, which inhibit their societal participation,
  • Access to public transit is a critical factor in overcoming poverty due to its facilitation of access to jobs, education, and healthcare services,
  • Ensuring accessibility requires solutions that are adaptable to diverse needs, as no single approach can universally apply,
  • Measuring equity poses a challenge due to its subjective nature, complicating the process of setting clear goals,
  • Auditing policies about equity presents a challenge.

by

  1. Asks the European Commission to allocate funds for solution-oriented research dedicated to increasing accessibility in transport;
  2. Instructs national research institutes to conduct surveys aimed at understanding the particular challenges faced by disabled individuals when using public transportation;
  3. Urges Member States to provide subsidies for public transportation to individuals who are both below the poverty line and disabled;
  4. Calls upon Member States to set up independent national councils responsible for assessing and monitoring the inclusivity and equity of public transportation systems for individuals with disabilities;
  5. Encourages employers to secure a place in society for disabled individuals by increasing their social participation through sociable workplaces and accessible learning or working programmes;
  6. Encourages Member States to subsidise companies which 
    • offer transportation services for disabled employees to and from the workplace and
    • give priority to disabled employees for their remote work opportunities.