İstanbul metro sistemlerine engelsiz erişim analizi ve öneriler
Analysis and recommendations for barrier-free access to İstanbul subway systems
Yazar: BÜŞRA GÜNDOĞDU
Danışman: PROF. DR. HÜSEYİN MURAT ÇELİK ; PROF. DR. HATİCE AYATAÇ
İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi / Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü / Şehir ve Bölge Planlama Ana Bilim Dalı / Şehir Planlama Bilim Dalı
Derece: Yüksek Lisans, 2024
Konu: Şehircilik ve Bölge Planlama = Urban and Regional Planning

Özet:
Kentsel erişilebilirliğin bağımsız ve kesintisiz olarak kişilerin ihtiyaçlarını karşılaması gerekmektedir. İç ve dış mekanlara erişimde engelli bireyler birçok zorluk yaşamakta olup mevcut yasa ve mevzuatlara rağmen günlük yaşama adapte olmakta sorunlar yaşamaktadırlar. Erişilebilirlik toplumda yaşayan engelli bireylerin günlük aktivite ve ihtiyaçlarının kesintisiz olarak sağlanması ile birlikte toplum içerisinde bağımsız olarak kendi ihtiyaçlarını giderebilmeleri ve yaşamlarını sürdürebilmeleri için önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Engelli bireyler için ulaşım  araçlarına erişim  daha düşüktür. Bu durum bireylerin seyahat davranışını sınırlamakta ve yapılan yolculuk sayısını azaltmaktadır. Günümüzde yaygın olarak tercih edilen metro sistemlerinde erişilebilirliğin zayıf olmasından dolayı engelli bireyler seyahat ederken ve toplu taşıma araçlarını kullanırken birçok zorluklarla karşılaşmaktadırlar. 
Tüm dünyada ve ülkemizde çeşitli kanun ve tasarım kuralları olmasına rağmen standartlara uyulmaması toplumda yaşayan engelli bireylerin erişimini kısıtlamaktadır. Engellilere yönelik toplu ulaşımda yapılan düzenlemelerde bütüncül yaklaşımlar yerine genellikle yasal ve altyapısal olarak yetersiz çözümler getirilmektedir. Yüzeyi engebelli ve bozuk yollar, çok yüksek kaldırımlar ve merdivenler, engellilerin kullanımı için uygun olmayan sokak mobilyaları, engellilere hizmet edemeyen ulaşım araçlarının yer alması, sesli ve görsel uyarıcıların yetersiz olması kent ulaşımında engelli bireylerin yoğun olarak karşılaştıkları sorunlar arasındadır.
Tez çalışması kapsamında hassas grupların ulaşım tercihlerinde metro ulaşım sistemlerinin kullanımının çok düşük olduğu saptanmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında İstanbul çalışma alanı özelinde yürüme, görme, işitme, ortopedik, dil ve konuşma, zihinsel yeti farklılığı bulunan 85 kişiyi kapsayan bireyler ile yapılan anket çalışmalarından elde edilen veriler analiz edilmiştir. Bireylerin sosyo- demografik özellikleri ve metro sistem ulaşım tercihlerini analiz etmek üzere örnekleme dahil olan engelli bireylerle yapılan görüşmelerde ve derneklerden alınan kişilerin iletişim bilgilerine ait listelerden rastgele seçilen kişiler ile telefon görüşmesi yapılmıştır. Çalışma içerisinde yeti farklılığı bulunan bireylerinde herkes gibi yaşamın tüm alanındaki hizmetlere ulaşabilmesi ve bu hizmetlerden yararlanabilmesi için metro araçları ile ilgili erişimi engelleyen durumlar detaylandırılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında İstanbul'da metro sistemini kullanan ve hareket kısıtlılığı bulunan yolcuların ulaşım sistemine ilişkin bekledikleri ve algıladıkları erişilebilirlik problemlerini anlamak ve bu problemlerin hangi sebeplerden kaynaklandığı saptamak amaçlanmaktadır. Metro sistemlerinde erişim sorunu yaşayan engelli bireylerin karşılanamayan ihtiyaçları ve yaşadıkları erişim zorluklar ile yeti farklılığı bulunan bireyler için metro ulaşım sistemlerindeki erişiminin teşvik edilmesine yönelik stratejiler geliştirilmiştir.
Tez çalışması belirtilen amaç ve yöntem kapsamında beş bölümden oluşmaktadır.  Araştırma çalışmasının birinci bölümü "İstanbul Metro Sistemlerine Engelsiz Erişim Analizi Ve Öneriler" konusu özelinde hipotezin ortaya konulduğu, amaç, yöntem ve kapsamın yer aldığı giriş bölümünden oluşmaktadır. İkinci bölüm çalışma içerisine yayılmış olan literatür taramasının ele alındığı kısım olup; kentsel hareketlilik ve erişilebilirlik konusu literatüre göre açıklanmıştır. Genelden özele inilerek engelli bireylerde erişilebilirlik ve hareketlilik konusu bağlamında kavramsal çerçeve açıklanmıştır. Çalışmanın metodolojisinin ele alındığı üçüncü bölümde çalışma alanı olan İstanbul'daki mevcut durum, mekansal gelişim ve metro ulaşım sistemlerin tarihsel süreci incelenmiştir. Dördüncü bölüm İstanbuldaki metro sistemindeki karşılaşılan problemlerin saptanması üzerine engelli bireylerle yapılan anketlerin analiz ve sonuçlarını içermektedir. Son bölüm sonuç kısmı olup elde edilen bulgular doğrultusunda çalışmadaki hipotezin doğruluğu tartışılarak değerlendirmelerin yapıldığı kısımdır

Abstract:
Cities represent living spaces where different social groups live together, communicate, access services and integrate. Since the beginning of settlements, transportation systems have played an important role in the development of cities. The increasing demand for transportation in rapidly growing and developing cities has increased the importance of mobility and accessibility.
When examined in the context of the city, the concept of mobility and accessibility forms the basis of accessible independent life that meets the transportation needs of people living in the city in their social, economic and cultural environment. 
Mobility is among the basic requirements for meeting the needs of human communities and ensuring the continuity of life. According to research, 15% of the world's population includes people with mobility limitations. Access to transportation is very low for people with disabilities, which limits their travel behavior and reduces the number of trips made. The transportation system needs to be accessible for people with disabilities to participate in education, employment, health services and social activities. Due to the poor accessibility of metro systems, which are widely preferred today, individuals with disabilities face many difficulties while traveling and using public transportation. Accessibility is a very important issue for cities for the functional and social development of the city. The development of accessibility can be achieved through urban transportation systems. Public transportation system is widely used to meet the demands and needs in transportation. People with disabilities need mobility provided by buses, trains, minibuses, taxis and other means of transportation to perform daily life activities and access services. All elements of a journey, including pedestrian access, vehicle access, stops and transfer points, from the origin to the destination in the travel chain should be accessible to all members of society. If there is a problem in accessing any point in the travel chain, many difficulties can be encountered during the journey. Inaccessible links restrict access by creating longer travel barriers, and the inability of vulnerable groups in society to travel as they wish and participate in various social activities are among the important problems that cause a decrease in their quality of life and social exclusion.
Urban accessibility should meet the needs of people independently and without interruption. Individuals with disabilities experience many difficulties in accessing indoor and outdoor spaces and face problems in adapting to daily life despite existing laws and regulations. Accessibility plays an important role in ensuring the uninterrupted provision of daily activities and needs of disabled individuals living in society, as well as enabling them to independently meet their needs and sustain their lives in society. Access to transportation vehicles is lower for people with disabilities. This situation limits the travel behavior of individuals and reduces the number of trips made. Due to poor accessibility in today's widely preferred subway systems, people with disabilities face many difficulties while traveling and using public transportation. 
Although there are various laws and design rules all over the world and in our country, failure to comply with the standards restricts the access of disabled people living in the society. Instead of holistic approaches, some special and inadequate solutions are provided for disabled people in public transportation. Poorly surfaced roads, very high sidewalks and stairs, street furniture that is not suitable for the use of disabled people, the presence of transportation vehicles that cannot serve the disabled, and the lack of audible and visual stimulants are among the problems that disabled people face intensively in urban transportation.
With the increasing traffic density, the use of rail systems in public transportation vehicles is gradually increasing. Due to the poor accessibility of metro systems, which are widely preferred today, disabled people face many difficulties while traveling and using public transportation vehicles. Within the scope of the thesis study, it was determined that the use of rail transportation systems in the transportation preferences of vulnerable groups was very low. Within the scope of the study, the data obtained from the surveys conducted with 85 individuals with walking, visual, hearing, orthopedic, speech and language, and mental disabilities in the Istanbul study area were analyzed. In order to analyze the socio-demographic characteristics and rail system transportation preferences of the individuals, telephone interviews were conducted with the disabled individuals included in the sample and randomly selected from the lists of contact information of the individuals received from the associations.
 In the study, the situations that prevent access to rail system vehicles are detailed so that individuals with disabilities can access and benefit from services in all areas of life like everyone else. Within the scope of the study, it is aimed to understand the accessibility problems expected and perceived by passengers with mobility limitations who use the subway system in Istanbul and to determine the reasons for these problems. Within the scope of the thesis study, it is aimed to understand the accessibility problems expected and perceived by passengers with mobility impairments who use the metro system in Istanbul and to determine the reasons for these problems. Strategies have been developed to encourage access to metro transportation systems for individuals with disabilities in order to address the unmet needs and access difficulties experienced by individuals with disabilities who have access problems in metro systems. During the analysis of urban accessibility, metro stations, the interior of the metro vehicle and the accessibility status up to the arrival point were included in the analysis. The qualities and accessibility of metro stations and vehicle interiors were evaluated for individuals with orthopedic, visual, walking, hearing and mental disabilities. In this context, the reasons why people prefer or do not prefer subway vehicles have been determined and discussed within the framework of the study questions. Strategies have been developed to promote accessibility in rail transportation systems for individuals with disabilities who have access problems in subway systems, as well as the unmet needs and access difficulties they experience.
Ensuring the integration of metro systems, which are widely preferred today, with pedestrian and other public transportation networks is directly related to determining the level of accessibility in the city. Meeting the physical needs of users, providing access to the subway for individuals and establishing integration with other modes of transportation are important in terms of accessibility. The access to and from the metro and the transfer points that provide connections to other public transportation systems should be continuous and integrated within the city. It is important to support accessible transportation for everyone in the transportation system and to design public transportation systems by taking into account the problems that prevent accessibility. Considering the daily movements in the city, transportation systems should be evaluated holistically to meet the needs of all individuals living in the city and should be organized according to the needs.
Within the scope of the study, accessibility to metro systems should be supported with appropriate strategies to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities. The thesis study aims to contribute to the studies to be carried out on barrier-free transportation and accessibility with individuals with disabilities.
The thesis consists of five chapters within the scope of the stated purpose and method.  The first part of the research study consists of the introduction section in which the hypothesis is put forward, the purpose, method and scope are included in the subject of "Access Problems of Disabled Individuals to Rail Transportation in Istanbul". The second part is the part where the literature review spread throughout the study is discussed; the issue of urban mobility and accessibility is explained according to the literature. The conceptual framework is explained in the context of accessibility and mobility in disabled individuals by going from general to specific. In the third section, where the methodology of the study is discussed, the current situation, spatial development and the historical process of rail transportation systems in Istanbul, the study area, are examined. The fourth section includes the analysis and results of the surveys conducted with disabled people to determine the problems encountered in the subway system in Istanbul. The last part is the conclusion part, where the accuracy of the hypothesis in the study is discussed and evaluations are made in line with the findings obtained. Ensuring accessibility in metro systems in an easy and effective way depends on producing solutions that meet the needs of the city and its inhabitants. Transportation should be accessible to everyone, including people who are excluded from the transportation system, excluded from daily life activities and those who cannot meet their needs. 
Within the scope of the study, it is seen that the standards are defined in detail in the legal legislation in question in the researches on disabled access in the literature study. It is seen that the studies on the accessibility of disabled people in Istanbul metro systems are not carried out in accordance with the standards and in a usable way, do not yield positive results and are not sustainable in terms of accessibility. The problems in the data obtained as a result of the survey conducted with individuals with disability differences are generally caused by design, access, maintenance, repair and inspection errors. In order to increase the metro systems of people with disabilities, strategies have been developed under 3 headings: design, access, maintenance, repair and supervision problems, and actions have been detailed according to the needs and expectations of individuals.