Government proposes improvements to availability of railway station accessibility data

The Government proposes amendments to the Act on Transport Services. The amendments would allow to insert the railway station accessibility data into the European Railway Station Accessibility Database, ERSAD, laid down by a European Union Regulation.

ERSAD of the European Union Agency for Railways contains information on the accessibility of railway stations concerning, for example, the physical accessibility of platforms, toilets and parking areas as well as the accessibility of the station services.

According to the government proposal, the Act on Transport Services would be amended so that the Transport and Communications Agency Traficom be imposed an obligation to collect the accessibility data and a right to acquire the necessary information service from the Traffic Management Company Fintraffic Ltd.

In addition, the proposal includes amendments to the provisions on the competent authorities in road transport.

The accessibility database would make the information available to the operators in the sector. They could use the data in digital travel applications, such as route planners, which would increase the overall amount of accessibility data available to users. This data would be included in other travel data, which is already managed by Fintraffic.

The government proposal aims at increasing the amount of accessibility data and promoting accessible travel chains.  It also aims to increase the amount of data on the infrastructure and to expand the scope of available travel data. 

Next steps

The government proposal is scheduled to enter into force on 1 January 2024.

Inquiries:

Tiia Orjasniemi, Ministerial Adviser, tiia.orjasniemi(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 295 342 068

Sini Wirén, Director of Unit, sini.wiren(at)gov.fi, tel. +358 295 342 532