The accessibility of bus terminal design

Abstract

Terminals are end stations of one or more bus routes often used for any large station with facilities, such as waiting rooms, ticket offices, and so on. Bus terminal, on the other hand are off-street areas or buildings with stops point for several bus routes. The arrangement of the spaces provided at the terminal must also take into consideration, which will determine the accessibility of the bus terminal layout. "Accessibility should be coordinated not only by analysing and responding to the context of the site but coordination should exists between parking areas, curb ramps, paved areas, rest areas with adequate seatings, lighting signages, building entries, and interiors. Continuous accessibility is also needed between building and within building, between parking areas, corresponding destinations and native destinations." (Charles and Nicholas, 1998). There are some problems being identified, as an obstacle to make bus terminals accessible. There is no suitable measurement and scale provided for bus circulation and movement and no accessible facility for pedestrian especially for disabled person implemented in bus terminal design such as ramp, signage and hand railings. The existing guidelines provided by local authority and Public Transportation Department should be the reference in designing bus terminal. As a conclusion, to ensure the accessibility of bus terminals, it is not only the satisfaction of the users that matters but also the planning for circulation of the buses itself.