Process and Impact Evaluation of Accessibility Planning

CRSP, in partnership with Atkins, have been commissioned by the Department for Transport to evaluate the process and impact of Accessibility Planning. This is a process that aims to promote social inclusion by helping people from disadvantaged groups or areas access jobs and essential services. The evaluation will take a holistic view of Accessibility Planning and will involve considering the processes by which Accessibility Planning is implemented but also the impact that Accessibility Planning policy has had on the work of local authorities and wider partners, and on individuals and communities.

Research Objectives

The aim of the project is to:

"To provide an objective identification, assessment and understanding of the process and impacts of Accessibility Planning. This will fully reflect the original objectives of Accessibility Planning, the ongoing evolution of those objectives (and those of others) and consider the wider impacts and outcomes."

Within this aim, the research objectives are as follows:

• To assess whether the guidance developed and issued by DfT was effective in enabling delivery of Accessibility Planning (AP) as it was intended, and to assess whether the processes put in place to deliver Accessibility Planning are/were effective in achieving what they set out to (e.g. steps in analysis, recording tools, team structures/resources);

• To examine the sorts of processes that lead to good outcomes for Accessibility Planning strategies and individual initiatives and to examine the lessons learnt with regard to Accessibility Planning implementation;

• To assess what types of local initiatives have been most successful in improving accessibility to different types of key services (including jobs);

• To assess 'what works' and why in terms of improving accessibility for different social groups or for different types of accessibility 'problems'; and

• To assess whether there are any lessons learnt about how to develop and implement Accessibility Planning strategies and individual initiatives so that outcomes are successful.

Sponsor
Department for Transport via Atkins Transport Planning

Start date: 1 December 2008

Completion date: 31 March 2012

Project Team (CRSP): Noel Smith, Kim Perren; Paola Signoretta; Nicola Selby; Sharon Walker

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