Invention of Accessibility: French Urban Public Transportation Accessibility from 1975 to 2006

Abstract

This paper discusses accessibility policies of the French Ministry of Transportation and the two urban mass transit companies in France. One company is the Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP), France's leading urban mass transit company. The second transit company, which is much smaller than RATP, is the Société des Transports Poitevins (STP). Both company’s actions illustrate policies pursued for almost the last thirty years. This article will focus on RATP. The two aims of this article are to show how a) new solutions for facilities of public transportation networks are linked to the way stakeholders view disability and b) how changes in this view have reflected stakeholders’ moves to promote their idea of accessibility and disability.