Improving accessibility for people with mental health conditions

In England, 26% of all adults report having been diagnosed with at least one mental illness. Making journeys requires a number of skills that are used at different stages of the trip, such as concentration, interpretation of information, and the confidence to take decisions and interact with other people. Mental health conditions can affect these abilities and so can affect the ability to travel. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues by drawing on preliminary results from a survey carried out recently by the author, and then to discuss ways in which the effects of anxiety during journeys can be ameliorated. Addressing anxieties while travelling is about increasing the self-confidence of the traveller, for example, by enhancing their travel skills through travel training and schemes to provide experience in travelling. Communication difficulties with people encountered during journeys can be addressed through effective staff training and campaigns to educate the public. Anxieties about wayfinding may be partly addressed by providing clearer navigation information, before and during the journey on paper and electronically. Mobile phone apps can be particularly useful for those able to use them because they can show the user where they are and routes to the destination.