SECTION 3. WORKlNG ON MEASURES FOR THE ELDERLY, HANDICAPPED,
ETC.
1 Need for Measures for the Elderly. Handicapped. Etc.
The act of moving from one place to another in various situations such as
going to work, shopping, traveling, etc. plays an important part for human beings
to live in society. In the process of improving public transport facilities, it
is necessary to not only consider the needs of the healthy but also those of the
elderly and handicapped who are restricted in many ways in the use of these facilities.
The aging population in Japan is gradually increasing. In the year 2007, it
is expected that one out of five persons will be over 65 years old. In 2018, the
number will be one out of four. The number of handicapped persons is also rising
by the year. Because these elderly and handicapped persons display strong desires
to work and participate in leisure and social activities (Fig.
38), the need for measures to be taken for these two groups of people is stronger
than ever before, and future improvements on transport facilities are expected
to be carried out with consideration to them and with the aim of making the facilities
easy-to-use by anyone.
2 PROMOTlNG MEASURES FOR THE ELDERLY. HANDICAPPED. ETC.
(1) Improving Facilities for the Elderly, Handicapped, Etc.
A major problem encountered by the elderly and handicapped in the use of transport
facilities is moving inside terminals and getting on and off carriages, etc.
Therefore, in regard to terminals, efforts are being made to make moving from
one place to another easy by improving escalators, elevators, moving walk ways,
incorporating wide ticket gates, etc. Efforts are also being made to increase
convenience by installing ticket machines with braille tapes, and those that can
be used by persons in wheelchairs, installing toilets, etc. for the handicapped,
and to increase safety by installing guiding and alert blocks and safety ledges
to prevent falling. (Table 4) As
for carriages, efforts are being made to make bus floors low, introduce buses
with wide doors, buses and taxis with lifts and carriages with spaces for wheelchairs.
These efforts have been carried out according to the various guidelines, etc.
such as the "Guideline for improving escalators in train stations" of March 1991.
New guidelines however, for establishing facilities for the elderly and handicapped
for transport terminals on the whole will be drawn up, in view of the advent of
technological development, etc.
From December 1991, a discount system for the mentally retarded has been adopted
by trains, buses, taxis, airplanes, etc. This system is the same as that for the
physically handicapped.
(2) New Developments in the Measures for the Elderly and Handicapped
In addition to the measures for the elderly and handicapped, following Japan's
economic internationalization, there is an increasing need to establish transport
facilities taking into consideration the needs of foreigners such as having displays
and signs in foreign languages. Recently, in response to the growing needs of
elderly and handicapped travelers, new trends have begun to emerge such as the
introduction of travel plans for the elderly such as the silver discount, etc.
and of group tour packages for overseas and inside Japan that persons in wheelchairs
can join, compilation of travel guides for the physically handicapped, etc.
In the future, comprehensive measures that take into consideration intangible
and tangible aspects will be required for the elderly, handicapped, etc. These
measures must take into consideration the viewpoints of these groups of people.
In aiming at building consecutive transport systems that will satisfy needs in
traveling from the start to the destination, it is required to improve facilities
for them while receiving the understanding and co-operation of companies as well
as to supply upgraded information with easy-to-understand guides, etc. Moreover,
it is also essential for society on the whole to create an environment in which
people around voluntarily help the elderly and handicapped feel secure in using
the transport facilities.
