Disabled young people report on the challenges of using transport

2 mins read

Wednesday 29 January 2025

A new report by the Motability Foundation and research company Savanta describes the specific challenges faced by young disabled people when using transport.  

The report shows that disabled young people face significant barriers when using transport. They find it unreliable, stressful and too expensive, and it presents a real barrier to their independence and social life. 

More than half of disabled young people feel unsafe

The research was guided by a group of disabled young people “peer researchers”. It hears from over 1,200 disabled young people, putting their experiences and views at the core of the findings. 

It finds that almost half (47%) of young disabled people feel they cannot use priority seating on public transport without being challenged. More than half (63%) of young disabled people feel unsafe using public transport. And nearly a third (31%) of young disabled people deliberately reduce their journeys to save money. 

Recommendations include:

  • Improvements to accessibility and infrastructure.
  • A better focus on safety and security.
  • Cheaper transport costs.
  • Developments in staff training and the support on hand for disabled transport users.  

You can read the full report online: Creating an Inclusive Future: Addressing Accessible Transport Needs for Young Disabled People 

Contact’s school transport project

At Contact, we’re running a school transport project thanks to funding from the Motability Foundation.

We’re looking at experiences of transport to and from education settings and how things can be improved.  

If you need information or advice on school transport, have a look at our school transport in England pages.