La evolución de las estaciones de tren accesibles en Madrid: Aproximación a través del estudio de mapas (2009-2020)

Most of Madrid is covered by an extensive train network that allows thousands of people to commute by train daily. However, some collectives with either permanent or temporary disabilities, may find obstacles that limit their access to the station, the carriages, or both. By studying the information available on graphic maps, which is the common source for passengers to know whether a station is accessible or not before reaching it, the number of accessible stations, and how they have evolved from 2009 to 2020, has been studied. The study has analyzed the degree of inclusiveness that Madrid’s train network provided in the aforementioned period regarding complete accessibility, partial accommodations, and whether the carriages of the arriving trains were accessible. As a result, both the map analysis and quantitative data collection have shown that although the total number of accessible stations increased over the studied period, their irregular variations may reflect the modifications in public regulations. Thus, Madrid can be an example of how to study the level of accessibility in the train network in order to determine the consequences of sprawl in urban accessibility, and how this can hinder full access for all people to every point of the city.