Leaving nobody behind: creating an inclusive car free future

Cycling can be accessible to more disabled people, some of whom already use their cycles as mobility aids, as now recognised by the government’s “Gear Change” strategy. A group of people with different impairments riding adapted cycles on a segregated cycle lane. Photo: LCC/WFW; by Crispin Hughes (LCC)

Car Free Cities promise a cleaner, safer and more equitable future for our polluted and congested cities. The UK government acknowledges that shifting to electric vehicles will not decarbonise enough to meet CO2 targets, making some restriction to car use inevitable. However, for those who are currently reliant on their cars, this may be problematic.  Many disabled people, in particular, find alternative forms of travel inaccessible, and their challenges in shifting to more sustainable modes were the subject of research undertaken with the University of Westminster’s Active Travel Academy.

Around 20% of the UK population have some impairment which limits their day-to-day activities. While disabled people in the UK make a third fewer trips than non-disabled people, and are around twice as likely to not hold a driving licence; 2.44 million people hold “Blue Badges” to access more accessible parking spaces, and 635,000 people have an adapted car through the ‘Motability’ scheme. Disabled people’s relationship to the car ranges from being precluded from driving to being reliant on their cars to be able to leave the house; this was reflected in our study, interviewing representatives from Disabled People’s Organisations alongside focus groups with people with a variety of impairments.

Our participants recognised and supported efforts to address the Climate Emergency and the contribution reducing car use can make, but many were concerned that a Car Free City may curtail their ability to access anything outside the home, especially for those finding public transport or even their neighbourhood’s streets inaccessible. Others felt liberated by the lack of cars during Covid lockdowns and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods reducing through traffic. While issues with navigation and journey times were expressed, there was consensus they could be designed inclusively by involving disabled people early in the design process and providing accessible information about changes, as some, especially blind people, are especially anxious about changes to streetscapes.

Our disabled participants were positive about the need for change, though apprehensive about potential negative impacts which could be addressed through proper engagement. There is a substantial appetite for being involved in co-designing a more sustainable and less car-dependent future, alongside a need for people’s contributions to be valued in what they bring and the work involved in participating in them.

Our participants were keen to suggest positive changes that could be made to help reduce their reliance on cars. This included an urgent need to substantially improve walking, wheeling and cycling environments (particularly addressing pavement accessibility) to allow disabled people to move more actively and independently in their neighbourhoods. In addition, they called for improving road crossings and bus stop cycle bypasses which are often difficult for blind people to navigate. Speeding up accessibility programmes for public transport (particularly rail stations) is also key to helping reduce ‘transport disability’ caused by our current car-dependent cities.

What can you do?

Anzir Boodoo
Car Free Cities Consultant, Possible


Russell Warfield