New standards for universally designed stops

Ruter has developed two new guides to ensure a high standard and universal design of stops and infrastructure for buses and trams in Oslo and Akershus.

Easier to travel for everyone

The new guidelines – "Standard for Bus Infrastructure" and "Guidelines for Universal Design at Tram Stops" – are intended to make it easier and safer for all passengers to travel by public transport. This is particularly important for people with impaired vision or mobility.

The guides gather all known knowledge about infrastructure for buses and trams. The goal is to ensure uniform design of stops, furnishings, and information throughout the Ruter area. This will make it more predictable to understand and use the public transport system for everyone.

What do the guidelines contain?

Standards for bus infrastructure is a comprehensive reference work that presents solutions for everything from stops and intersections to transfer points and facilities for drivers at terminal stops.
The guide covers both the design of the actual stop with requirements for platform height, width, and length, and how the surrounding infrastructure should be designed to ensure good accessibility for buses.

The guide for universal design at tram stops specifically focuses on sizing, furnishing, and tactile guiding strips. Tactile guiding strips are one or more continuous lines that guide visually impaired people from one point to another.

The guide is adapted to the new SL18 trams, and provides detailed requirements for how the stops should be designed to ensure good accessibility for all passengers.

Universal design as a fundamental premise

Both guides are based on Ruter's vision of sustainable mobility freedom for all customers. Universal design means that everyone should be able to use the public transport service on an equal basis. To meet the needs of as many as possible, it is necessary to start with those who have the greatest need related to widths, lengths, gradients, and readability in the public transport system.

Bus stops are an important part of the journey chain. Improving the quality of bus stops is intended to make it easier to use public transport and contribute to a positive overall experience.

Developed in collaboration with many stakeholders

Ruter har utarbeidet veilederne med bistand fra Norconsult. Underveis i arbeidet har Ruter hatt møter med bussoperatører, eiere av bussanlegg, Sporveien og interessegrupper for universell utforming. 
Veilederne bygger på krav fra Statens vegvesens håndbøker, Sporveiens tekniske regelverk og erfaringer fra arbeidet med tilsvarende tilrettelegging for T-bane.

Here you can read the two guides in their entirety