Our new report reveals the obstacles and barriers that neurodivergent people face when using public transport.
When people experience barriers to travel, it means barriers to living life at its fullest. That's why we've launched Neurodivergence and Public Transport: how to make public transport more accessible for a neurodivergent community, kindly funded by the Motability Foundation
The new report delves into the key barriers preventing neurodivergent people from using public transport how and when they want to. These barriers are:
- design and physical infrastructure of vehicles and buildings
- information and communication factors
- inconsistency, uncertainty and unpredictability, and
- behaviour and neurodiversity knowledge of others.
Dr James Cusack, Autistica CEO, says that the barriers to accessing public transport have a real-world impact on neurodivergent people, showing the need for systemic change across all forms of transportation.
“These findings show that public transport is necessary for many neurodivergent people. However, the effort and energy to navigate the barriers they experience means many may limit their public transport use to essential needs only.
“Only 39% of neurodivergent people drive regularly compared to 60% of neurotypical people, meaning that the barriers faced day-to-day by neurodivergent people who need to access public transport have several real-world ramifications.”
Crucially, this research discovered that nearly half (48%) of neurodivergent people are more likely to rely on public transport to travel for healthcare appointments compared to their neurotypical peers (30.6%), with disruptions to transport services potentially creating adverse health outcomes for neurodivergent people.
The report highlights 11 key recommendations to make public transport more neuroinclusive. These recommendations sit within five themes:
- driving change through collaboration and research
- integrate and simplify
- maximising digital technology
- understanding neurodivergence, and
- less crowded, more support.
Neurodivergent experts by experience were fundamental to the development of the project, shaping the research and sharing their insights. One of the advisory group members, Jack Welch, says that this report will put the neurodivergent community “... at the forefront of making necessary changes”.
“Access to transport is a matter of equality. Neurodivergent people are unjustly disadvantaged by the lack of inclusive design and systems, which only confuse and cause greater anxiety. I welcome this study's findings.”
Dr James Cusack, Autistica CEO, says that initiatives to make public transport more accessible are not consistent or on a national basis, which is necessary to create systemic change:
“We call on central and local government, regulatory and standards bodies, transport operators, researchers and developers to listen to neurodivergent experts by experience, to effect positive change across public transportation providers.”