ABSTRACT
A representative survey into the mobility of disabled persons commissioned by the Federal Minister of Transport in 1983 showed that there are around 5,3 million West Germans with impaired mobility due to ill-health, including between 150.000 and 200.000 people confined to wheelchairs. This chapter describes some of the measures actually launched in recent years for ground-based public transport. The development consortium would like to take the low-floor concept to its consistent conclusion and reduce the level of the floor over the entire length of the vehicle to the lowest technically possible level. The Deutsche Bundesbahn receives investment grants intended, among other things, for improving the infrastructure for disabled passengers. Grants are also awarded for installing lifts in municipal stations. The Federal Government covers 60 % of the costs, the individual Lander accounting for 25 %; North Rhine/Westphalia even covers 30 % plus 7 % of the planning costs.
