Ergonomic Standards for Pedestrian Areas for Disabled People: Methodology and Sample Identification

This project is a TRRL research contract, the aim of which is to produce guidance on the design of pedestrian areas and footways for elderly and disabled people. The first part of the project was a literature review and consultation exercise, the objective of which was to identify key impediments for investigation. The second part of the project involved the detailed survey work on the key impediments. This Working Paper reports upon the development of the second part of the project and, in particular, upon the identification of the sample of disabled people to be used in the detailed interview and observation work. The sample identification involved contacting some 3000 disabled people listed in official disability registers, and 250 ablebodied people via on-street interviews. From the disabled sample approximately 500 people were interviewed in order to find out more about their disability and to assess the usefulness of a preliminary disability categorisation system; their activity rate; problems they experience in using pedestrian areas and footways; and their willingness to take part in further stages of the study.

From the interviews, a sample of people in each of the revised categories, together with samples of the elderly and the ablebodied, were selected for an observation phase in which those involved were observed completing a movement distance exercise, and using different types of pedestrian facility, in central Leeds .