Mackett, RL;
Improving accessibility for older people - investing in a valuable asset.
In:
(Proceedings) Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting.
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Abstract
This paper explores the contribution of older people to society, the role of travel in this, and whether the removal of barriers to access for older people would enable them to increase their contribution. The paper commences by considering evidence on the economic value of older people to society. This shows that older people make a net contribution through expenditure in shops, employment, voluntary work, childcare and taxation which exceeds their cost to the taxpayer. Expected demographic changes mean that society will require older people to make a greater contribution in future: it is prudent to consider the barriers that may hinder this. A key factor is accessibility. It is shown that the travel patterns of older people reflect their contributions to society, and so barriers to travel are likely to hinder such contributions. It is shown that most older people have the physical or mental ability to travel and that most of the barriers involve the interaction between the environment and their capabilities. The example of providing free off-peak bus travel for older people in Britain is shown to have brought benefits for both older people and wider society. The paper is concluded by discussion about three critical issues that need to be addressed in overcoming the barriers to access for older people: access on all stages of the journey, non-tangible barriers, and cost effectiveness in removing barriers to mobility for older people. Addressing these issues should enable older people to make a larger contribution to society.
| Type: | Proceedings paper |
|---|---|
| Title: | Improving accessibility for older people - investing in a valuable asset |
| Event: | Transportation Research Board 93rd Annual Meeting |
| Location: | Washington DC, US |
| Dates: | 2014-01-12 - 2014-01-16 |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Additional information: | © 2014 The Author. The paper was peer-reviewed by TRB and presented at the TRB 93rd Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., January 2014. |
| Keywords: | older people, accessibility |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Civil, Environ and Geomatic Eng |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1427887 |
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