BELGIUM: National operator SNCB has unveiled the
first of 130 double-deck coaches to facilitate wheelchair users travelling
without assistance.
The coaches have been ordered to enable every rake
of M7 stock to include an accessible vehicle. ‘In addition to safe and
comfortable transport, accessibility is also an integral part of our policy’,
SNCB CEO Sophie Dutordoir said when the coach was unveiled at Alstom’s Brugge
plant on February 15. ‘This goes further than providing assistance. We want our
travellers — including those with reduced mobility — to be able to travel
independently by train, from the purchase of their ticket to their final
destination.’
The initial M7 order placed in 2015 included
multifunctional cars for passengers with reduced mobility. However, the height
difference between the doors and existing platforms meant that some passengers
still needed assistance. Dutordoir said this was a ‘missed opportunity’, and so
independent access was taken into account when further vehicles were ordered in
2020. Deliveries are expected to run from the second half this year to 2026.
The design was developed in conjunction with
disability groups. The coaches have an entry height of 760 mm, the standard for
new platforms, with a sliding step to bridge the gap. Internal doors are wider,
and there are additional handles and lower push buttons. There an accessible
toilet, and an intercom for wheelchair users to request assistance.
SNCB’s public service obligation contract requires
the number of accessible stations to be increased from 103 to 176 by the end of
2032, covering almost 70% of travellers.
All future trains will be ordered with
accessibility features as standard.