Lenton, Charlotte
(2025)
Reimagining constraints and accessibility in the rail sector: late technology adopters in increasingly digitalised travel environments.
PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
Abstract
This thesis explores the constraints and accessibility of rail travel for late adopters of technology, focusing specifically on leisure travellers in Great Britain. As British rail undergoes structural and digital transformation, ensuring accessible services for all passengers has become increasingly vital. Late adopters of technology represent up to half of all leisure passengers, and are often stereotypically portrayed as elderly, technology-averse and resistant to change. However, this research reveals a more complex reality.
The overarching objective of identifying, analysing and understanding travel constraints for late technology adopters is addressed through four key research questions related to: the representativeness of existing literature on late adopters, the effectiveness of current constraints analysis methods, the constraints of rail travel, and potential service improvements. To comprehensively assess travel constraints for this passenger group, the research applies a multilayered approach incorporating both industry and passenger stakeholder perspectives. This qualitative investigation employs multiple methods including industry focus groups, semi-structured passenger interviews, travel-along ethnographies, and passenger focus groups. Methodologically, the research combines cognitive work analysis from human factors with constraints negotiation theory from leisure studies, developing an innovative interdisciplinary approach to investigate this diverse passenger group.
The findings demonstrate that late adopters are more diverse and technologically engaged than previously recognised in academic literature. Their technology use varies significantly between home and travel environments, challenging assumptions about universal adoption patterns. The research identifies multiple interconnected constraints affecting rail travel experiences, categorised as intrapersonal (confidence, trust), interpersonal (reliance on others), and structural (system design, accessibility). Notably, while many late adopters actively use digital technologies at home, they express hesitancy about using similar technologies in travel settings, preferring human interaction for complex or unfamiliar tasks.
This thesis makes several contributions to knowledge. First, it develops a novel constraints analysis framework that provides fresh insights into the constraints of rail travel and the nature of constraints for the late technology adopter passenger group. Second, it challenges stereotypical representations by revealing late adopters as selective and strategic technology users, rather than universally disinterested in technology and resistant to change. Third, it demonstrates how environmental context influences technology engagement and adoption, highlighting the importance of situational factors in understanding user behaviour.
For industry stakeholders, the findings highlight two key insights: the essential role of traditional support mechanisms alongside digital innovation and the influence of trusted intermediaries in technology adoption. Recommendations include leveraging staff and volunteers to build confidence in digital travel services. This research also identifies a significant gap in the Great British rail sector's accessibility policy regarding technological engagement. Integration of digital accessibility considerations, particularly for those hesitant or unable to use technology, could help industry better evaluate how service digitalisation impacts passenger experience.
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