The impact of microscale street elements on active transport of mobility-restricted individuals: A systematic review

Abstract

Background
Ensuring adequate spatial accessibility to diverse facilities is essential to shaping sustainable, inclusive cities and increasing the well-being of citizens. However, mobility-restricted individuals are found to have lower spatial accessibility in urban areas due to contextual factors, such as physical barriers. Most accessibility assessments focus on the general population and use the road network, due to the lack of data on how contextual factors influence different individuals and lack of geographical data representing pedestrian infrastructure or accessibility features.

Methods
We searched three databases: Scopus, Web of Science and PubMed. After filtering for eligibility, we examined the remaining 20 studies to understand the perceptions mobility-restricted individuals (i.e., mobility-impaired, visually impaired, or older adults) have of microscale street elements present in urban environments. Data regarding target population groups, data collection methods used and mentioned street elements were extracted.

Results
The included works tend to focus on a single population group, and disregard within-group differences regarding mobility capacities. Qualitative methods, such as interviews, focus groups and questionnaires, are most frequently used to investigate individual perceptions. To a great extent, individuals perceive microscale street elements differently depending on their mobility capacities. Even if partial overlap exists between population groups, when considering the frequency with which the street elements were mentioned, the impact on their individual accessibility may differ drastically. Certain street elements were highlighted, which can have a twofold effect, acting as barriers for some individuals and facilitators for others.

Conclusion
The results show that contradicting needs stemming from between- and within-group heterogeneities, together with the highly contextual character of spatial accessibility, pose extensive challenges for designing a barrier-free space for everyone. The results of this review provide a basis for urban planners and policymakers to design the urban infrastructure from a more inclusive perspective, based on comprehensive knowledge.