A Multi-Method Analysis of the Accessibility of the Izmir Ferry System

Abstract

This paper reports the results of a multi-method study of the accessibility of the ferry system in service in Izmir, the third largest metropolis in Turkey. Mobility is a precondition for social inclusion and quality of life; starting from this premise, the Izmir Municipality has been developing a strategic plan aimed at improving the physical accessibility of the city, including its urban transit network. Izmir fleet of ferries is composed by a mix of vessels with different characteristics - single hull or multi-hull, passenger ships and car ferries, old and new units. Thus, it is an interesting subject of research. The study was developed through the integration of three methods: (1) unstructured field observation conducted on all the different types of vessels, (2) survey on 233 passengers, and (3) key-informant interviewing to delegates of the service operator and to expert members of associations for persons with disabilities. The study was carried out in the last quarter of 2014, and it is part of a wider study aimed at assessing and improving the usability of short-route ferries for all passengers. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.