The majority of travellers can choose between travel methods, but not all.
As for the accessibility of public bus transport, it is not enough to be able to get into a bus, the traveller has to be able to disembark and to enter the buildings at stop-overs, either for food or rest-room stops.
The case study is about the public bus transport on the Ring road in Iceland. It focuses on the accessibility for wheelchair users to exploit the potential of travelling between communities, towns and villages in rural Iceland. The research covers and includes vehicles (busses), the actual sites where the bus stops are and the service providers and locales on the way, such as shops and restaurants with restrooms, and food service. The infrastructure, the operators and the ownership of the businesses will be investigated and analysed in this case study, also exploration of who is responsible for issues concerning accessibility for wheelchair users in the various aspects of the public bus transport service on the Ring road in Iceland. These roles and responsibilities will be investigated with the case study process, and by interviewing representatives of some of the key stakeholders.
The Universal Design theory is one of the main theories which will be used to investigate and discuss the importance and possibilities of providing equal access for everyone to travel with the public bus transport system.