Ensuring safe mobility in Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

Stockholm is one of the most accessible cities in Europe. This Scandinavian capital received the 2013 Access City award for disabled-friendly cities, a third place after Berlin and Nantes, France. However, the goal of providing safe mobility for all remains a challenge. People with one or more disabilities report being victims of assault and robbery twice as often as the general population. They avoid going out after dark because they are afraid of being exposed to crime more often than the rest of the population. The elderly, women and the disabled are often pointed out as being more fearful than other groups of passengers. The aim of this paper is to report on the safety conditions for passengers who report themselves as having a disability using data from different sources. The study also illustrates a number of initiatives that are intended to provide safe mobility for all, both from the perspective of those who are responsible for the delivery of transportation services and from those who use the system. The paper finishes with a discussion of current challenges both in practice and research.