Motability Foundation awards PhD scholarship grants for research into accessible transport
The Motability Foundation has awarded PhD scholarship grants to Loughborough University and The Open University for doctoral candidates with lived experience of disability to undertake research into accessible transport.
Following a Pilot PhD Scholarship project at Coventry University’s National Transport Design Centre (NTDC), the Motability Foundation is extending the project to include more universities and to expand its scope.
The research areas now include accessible transport policy and practice, alongside transport design.
At The Open University, its doctoral candidate will be partnering with charity and campaign group Transport for All, who will provide support and expertise for the research. Loughborough University is currently recruiting doctoral candidates.
The announcement follows PhD scholarship grants being awarded, earlier this year, to prospective candidates at UCL, Newcastle University and University of Westminster.
These doctoral studies will explore augmented reality in mobile navigation for those with visual impairments and develop design practice to create policy and guidance for accessible travel spaces.
Now that there is PhD scholarship grant students across six universities, the Motability Foundations states that it is looking to create a peer network in the future.
Rachael Badger, Director of Performance and Innovation at the Motability Foundation, said: “We are delighted to be awarding grants through our PhD Scholarship project to support more disabled people to use their lived experience to undertake research into transport design, policy and practice.
Research led by disabled people, with an understanding of the complex issues faced in travel, is key to finding accessible transport solutions.”
In June 2024, the Motability Foundation announced that it had commissioned market research company Savanta to carry out new research into the transport accessibility needs of young people.
