Handbook> Handbook for the operator

LAKE NAVIGATION

In order to grant full accessibility of the service to disabled passengers, companies operating lake navigation should consider the following fundamental aspects:

1. boat accessibility
2. wharf accessibility
3. timetable information concerning the arrival of accessible boats
4. ticket office accessibility

Let’s analyse these aspects in detail.

Boat accessibility
Generally speaking, boat accessibility for disabled passengers is granted by the presence of:

1. Gangways to get on/off the boat
2. Absence of passages with reduced width (< 75 cm)
3. Lift (only for boats with several levels)
4. Disabled toilet 
5. specially allocated wheelchair spaces
6. visual and acoustic signals and orientation signs for the sensory impaired.

During our interviews, navigation companies declared that none of their boats is specifically designed for the transport of disabled people.
Generally, minimum accessibility is granted by boarding gangways and, only on bigger boats, lifts and disabled toilets.
Boats never have specially allocated wheelchair spaces and this can jeopardize the comfort and safety of these passengers.
It is necessary to give more attention to the orientation needs of the sensory impaired, by arranging suitable devices in order to grant them independence and safety.

Wharf accessibility
The main problem for disabled persons when getting on and off a boat is how to cover the gap between the boat and the wharf. This is generally done by using gangways, which should have the following characteristics:

• Are large enough to let a wheelchair pass (at least 70 cm)
• Are not too sloping (maximum gradient: 8%)
• Are made of anti-sliding material
• Have side handles

In order to grant getting on and off operations of disabled passengers, gangway accessibility is not the only element to consider.
Wharf accessibility can be prevented by:

• Presence of steps and other barriers to reach it
• Crazy paving or surfaces made with materials that are not suitable for wheelchair passage or for people with physical impairments (gravel, sand, etc.)
• Absence of suitable protections and tactile paths for the visually impaired.

Ticket office accessibility
Ticket offices of companies operating lake navigation are the infrastructures where you can buy tickets and get information on prices, boats and schedules.
To allow disabled people to fully use this mean of transport, it is important to make these infrastructures accessible.
We suggest eliminating architectural barriers and equipping the infrastructure with orientation and communication devices in order to satisfy the needs of all disabled passengers.

Timetable information on the arrival of accessible boats
During our interviews, navigation companies declared that none of their boats is specifically designed for the transport of disabled people.
Some of their boats are accessible to disabled passengers.
There are no official timetables with the arrival time of such boats and this does not allow a disabled passenger to plan the use of the service.
The company “Navigazione laghi Maggiore, Garda e Como” suggest calling during the day to get timetable information concerning accessible boats, while the company “Navigazione Lago d’Iseo” allows the customer to book ahead for a certain day and time an accessible boat on a certain line.
The fact is that they don’t have a clear communication policy pointing out which aspects of the service are accessible for disabled passengers and what is the procedure to follow. The lack of this information and the consequent uncertainty on the accessibility of the service discourages disabled people from using this kind of transport.