02.03.2023
A Workshop on the Accessibility Vision in Transportation
Open project database
In March 2023, the Ministry of Transport and Communications and Traficom organized a stakeholder workshop focusing on the accessibility of transportation and digital services. The workshop contributes towards the overarching aim of developing a national target to guide the accessibility work of state transportation administration. The work is led by a working group established by the Ministry of Transport and Communication back in 2021, and its findings will be used in the update cycle of the national 12-year traffic system plan, known as the Transport12 plan (“Liikenne12”). The half-day workshop focused on carefully planned and guided discussions in small groups. Transport service providers, organizations representing disabled and elderly people, and public authorities collaboratively discussed targets, opportunities, and constraints for improving the accessibility of transportation and digital services. Akordi designed and facilitated this workshop.
In the first small group discussion, participants jointly considered how the vision for transportation and service accessibility could be improved, and what principles it should include. The discussions highlighted the importance of equality, emphasizing that the accessibility vision should aim to empower all passengers to plan and execute their journeys in a smooth, safe, and user-friendly manner.
In the second small group discussion, participants explored different thematic areas of the vision including means of transport, mobility services, infrastructure and accessibility information. The discussions between service providers, users and administration highlighted the need for goal-oriented, long-term collaboration among different stakeholders and across the different levels and sectors of administration to ensure that accessibility became a reality. Recognizing and developing a plan to address existing issues in structures and services was also seen as crucial.
The results of the workshop will be used in the state’s traffic management accessibility efforts as well as in the update cycle of the Transport12 plan.