Making the UK's public transport network fully accessible could boost the national economy by an estimated £176 billion annually, a recent report from the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) has found. The organisation warns that widespread accessibility issues effectively bar almost a quarter of working-age individuals from full participation in employment, education, and daily life.
The IMechE report highlights critical shortcomings such as inadequate lifts and ramps at stations, significant gaps between platforms and trains, and the absence of tactile paving and sensory-friendly environments. This has led to nearly half of disabled professionals declining job opportunities due to transport difficulties, according to research. Based on Office for National Statistics data, enabling the estimated 2.8 million affected individuals to work could add a substantial £176.4 billion to the economy each year.
The report suggests that an accessible transport network would also generate an additional £22.3 billion annually for the retail, leisure, and tourism sectors as disabled people make more trips to high streets and venues. Transport operators could see an increase in annual fare revenue, estimated at between £10 billion and £34 billion, driven by higher passenger numbers.
IMechE has urged the government to consider implementing tax incentives to encourage private investment in accessibility improvements and to embed inclusive design as a core engineering requirement. The organisation estimates that upgrading the rail network alone would cost between £20 billion and £24 billion over several years.
The Department for Transport is already working to enhance travel accessibility, with a £280 million investment in step-free access and lifts at train stations nationwide. However, a recent survey revealed that nearly nine out of ten disabled people frequently or always encounter difficulties when using public transport, highlighting the scale of the challenge facing the sector.