Accessible travel begins before the platform or vehicle

Proposed Part 2 requires access paths that connect accessible parking, adjoining streets and nearby or connected buildings to public spaces and accessible facilities. Paths must be easy to identify and minimise travel distance. The draft also proposes 30% luminance contrast for poles, columns, stanchions, bollards and fixtures against nearby surfaces, and a 1,500 mm unobstructed vertical dimension on relevant conveyance access paths.

Functional impact

For a person using a wheelchair, walker, white cane or who has low vision, an accessible destination is of little use if the approach is indirect, cluttered or hard to find. The proposed controls make the ordinary transfer route — parking to entrance, street to stop, concourse to facility — the unit of assessment.

Provider impact

Asset teams will need to coordinate property boundaries, street interfaces, wayfinding, vegetation, temporary works and maintenance. A path can fail after a contractor installs a bollard, sign, bin or display, even if the original design passed review.

Strategic implementation process

1. Map real passenger routes, including accessible parking and interchange routes, with field measurements and daylight/night-time observations.
2. Audit fixed and temporary obstacles; record clearance, contrast, location and responsible owner.
3. Establish a “no encroachment” permit process for works, events and street furniture.
4. Add contrast and clearance checks to practical completion and maintenance inspections.

Turn route maps into reliable journeys

Ask us to facilitate an end-to-end access-path audit with people with disability and translate findings into a prioritised works program.