Disabled people negatively impacted by inaccessible travel and transport options

The 2024 Euan’s Guide Access Survey supported by the Motability Scheme, has revealed that inaccessible travel has negatively impacted the lives of disabled people.

According to the access survey - the UK's largest and longest-running, with over 6,500 participants and a decade of data - a staggering 74% of disabled people said inaccessible transport and travel options negatively affect their lives.

Euan’s Guide, the disabled access charity behind the survey, provides disabled access information on its website EuansGuide.com, which hosts first-hand, trusted reviews written by disabled people for disabled people based on their own experiences.

Co-founder of Euan’s Guide and sister of the late Euan MacDonald MBE, Kiki MacDonald, said:

“Transport is a gateway to independence, social connection, and opportunity. Our latest data clearly shows that this gateway remains closed for far too many disabled people.

“Accessible transport is not a luxury - it is a lifeline. It connects people to employment, healthcare, education, and the chance to enjoy life’s everyday experiences, from visiting friends to attending community events. When transport systems fail to accommodate disabled people, they’re not just an inconvenience - they’re enforcing isolation and limiting opportunity.

“Our community tells us that many disabled people still face barriers such as lack of step-free access, unreliable assistance, poor signage, and inaccessible EV charging systems. These issues can turn what should be a simple journey into a stressful or even impossible task.

“That’s why travelling with confidence is a key theme throughout the work that we do at Euan’s Guide. We’re proud to make it easier for disabled people to find reliable, first-hand disabled access information.

“Our goal is to remove the fear of the unknown and empower disabled people to explore, connect, and travel with certainty and ease. Because everyone deserves to experience the world with confidence.”

2024 Euan’s Guide Access Survey Highlights Inequality in Travel Accessibility

Participants said a lack of disabled access on public transport has negatively impacted:

• socialising (72%)
• going on holiday (59%)
• going on planes (42%)

Cars are the main mode of transport for disabled people but not electric vehicles

Looking further at how disabled people currently travel, 94% of respondents said their main mode of transport is a car, yet 42% of respondents would not consider having an EV – likely due to an inaccessible EV charging infrastructure:

• 62% of respondents with experience of public electric vehicle charging points have experienced surrounding pavement and environments lacking dropped kerbs
• 49% of respondents agreed that fixed charging cables are too heavy, not long enough, or otherwise not suitable.

These findings are based on 6,500+ respondents in the 2024 Euan’s Guide Access Survey supported by the Motability Scheme, making it one of the most comprehensive pictures of access in the UK today.

Tags: blog, access survey, accessible travel, disabled access, travel with confidence, travel