The Status Quo, Challenges, and Policy Recommendation of Transport Barrier-Free Environment Development in China

By applying field survey and written survey investigation in more than 20 Provinces in China, the study summarized the guarantee system of barrier-free transport environment both from policy and regulation and from standard and norm aspects, analyzed the status quo of “hard environment” (transport accessibility infrastructure construction and equipment upgrade) and “soft environment” (barrier free travel service development), and pointed out the existing transport accessibility problems from aspects of regulation and standards, supervision and management, facility and equipment, etc. The study suggested giving full play to the role of government guidance, social governance, and public participation, and put forward countermeasures in five aspects, i.e., improving the top-level system design, strengthening financial support, improving infrastructure maintenance and management, enhancing barrier-free travel service level, and developing a barrier-free culture. In this connection, the recommendation may provide decision support for related management departments to upgrade the barrier-free travel service level.