Multi-year digital accessibility plan 2026– 2028

The Multi-year Digital Accessibility Plan presented here applies exclusively to digital properties accessible to internal and/or external audiences that are owned by RATP (EPIC). This scope includes websites, applications, and digital urban furniture. Digital properties owned by RATP subsidiaries are not included in the scope of this plan and will be addressed through dedicated multi-year accessibility plans.

All principles detailed in this document are translated into an action plan that presents the timeline and details of the initiatives to be launched.

Introduction


Definition of digital accessibility


Digital accessibility aims to make online communication services usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. It is based on several principles:

  • Perceivable: facilitating visual and auditory access to content, providing text alternatives for non-text content, and designing information that can be presented in different ways (for example, simplified layouts) without losing meaning or structure.

  • Operable: providing navigation cues to help users orient themselves and find content, making all functionalities accessible via keyboard, allowing sufficient time to read and use content, and avoiding content that could trigger seizures, for example.

  • Understandable: pages must function in a consistent and predictable manner, and users must be supported in correcting input errors.

  • Robust: content must remain compatible with current and future technologies, including assistive technologies.

Ensuring digital accessibility is a principle of equality and represents a major social and political issue, in order to guarantee fair access to information and online services for everyone.


Within this framework, RATP (EPIC) is committed to making all its digital media accessible.

This commitment is also part of a regulatory context governed by Article 47 of Law No. 2005-102 of 11 February 2005 on equal rights and opportunities, participation, and citizenship of people with disabilities

Consideration of digital accessibility

Policy for the inclusion of people with disabilities

For more than 30 years, RATP (EPIC) has pursued an ambitious accessibility and inclusion policy. In partnership with Île-de-France Mobilités, RATP (EPIC) works to make its transport networks and services accessible to people with disabilities, whether physical, sensory, cognitive, or psychological.


As early as 1992, RATP (EPIC) launched a major accessibility program for wheelchair users in RER stations and continued this momentum with the introduction of the first tramway lines and new metro lines. In 2009, the RATP (EPIC) Accessibility Advisory Committee was created, bringing together nine associations with which ongoing dialogue is maintained. The following year, 100% of Paris bus lines were declared accessible to wheelchair users.


Through its 27,000 trained employees, RATP (EPIC) demonstrates a strong commitment to placing accessibility at the heart of its priorities. This is reflected in various certifications, including:

  • “Cap’Handéo Mobility Services”, obtained in 2017—an industry first for a transport operator—recognizing the reception of people with psychological, mental, visual, or hearing disabilities on Metro Line 1. In 2023, 100% of the rail network (metro and RER) obtained this certification.

  • “S3A”, a label awarded in 2016 on Metro Line 10, symbolizing the welcome and support of people with intellectual disabilities. This certification was extended to 100% of metro lines in 2021.

The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games were a powerful accelerator, enabling, among other initiatives, the audio announcement of station names, audio guidance, and the continuation and completion of the Equisens project, including:

  • 27 km of handrails.

  • 154 km of stair nosings.

  • 8 km of tactile warning strips on stair landings.

  • 3 km of interception strips on platforms.

  • Nearly 1,260 sound beacons at station entrances and within spaces.

All details are available in the Mobility for All press kit published by RATP (EPIC).

More broadly, with 73,500 employees, the RATP Group is actively committed to the inclusion of people with disabilities through concrete actions. The company implements job retention measures and raises awareness among employees through initiatives such as DuoDays or hosting interns with disabilities. It also develops strong partnerships with Agefiph, Meteojob, Cap Emploi, Pôle Emploi, and local employment missions to promote access to employment. In 2022, RATP (EPIC) took part in eight disability-focused forums and organized four dedicated events, contributing to the recruitment of 84 people with disabilities.

RATP (EPIC)’s commitment to digital accessibility

Beyond the accessibility of its physical networks, RATP (EPIC) places digital accessibility at the heart of its digital strategy. This multi-year digital accessibility plan aims to define the trajectory for bringing its digital services into compliance with the standards of the General Accessibility Improvement Framework (RGAA). While RATP (EPIC) pays particular attention to implementing accessibility standards in its digital projects, the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games provided a unique opportunity to improve the compliance and accessibility of the main website ratp.fr. The site is now partially compliant with the RGAA, with a compliance rate of 79.5% following an audit conducted in June 2024. Across all its digital services, RATP (EPIC) commits to complying with the legal framework by displaying its level of compliance directly on the homepage and publishing an up-to-date accessibility statement, whether or not an audit has been conducted, with a link to this multi-year digital accessibility plan. RATP (EPIC) therefore wishes to implement a structured and progressive approach to achieving high compliance rates, starting with websites and applications accessible to the general public, before gradually extending the approach to internal tools. The plan also includes all digital urban furniture. As this equipment is non-interactive, attention will focus on color contrasts in accordance with RGAA requirements. The plan therefore mainly focuses on websites and digital applications.


Multi-year accessibility Plan 2026–2028

This multi-year digital accessibility plan, covering a period of three years, applies to 2026–2028.


Its purpose is to inform the public about the resources and actions implemented by RATP (EPIC) to make its priority digital services accessible. Initially, its scope focuses on EPIC websites and applications accessible to the general public.

The plan was developed through a collaborative process involving various departments and subsidiaries of the RATP Group. Associations from the Accessibility Advisory Committee participated in drafting this plan to ensure collective ownership. The plan is accompanied by an annual action plan detailing operational measures and timelines.

To ensure digital accessibility, RATP (EPIC) aims to continuously improve the accessibility level of its digital assets through this action plan. This multi-year plan may be updated and supplemented each year as part of the annual action plan review.



Scope of application

The digital services covered by this multi-year accessibility plan include, in particular:

Internal organization and governance


Role and responsibilities of the digital accessibility officer


RATP (EPIC) has appointed a digital accessibility officer within the Accessibility Mission. This role is central to implementing and monitoring accessibility-related actions. Key responsibilities include:

  • Promoting accessibility by sharing standards and best practices with all stakeholders.

  • Coordinating and planning accessibility audits of online services to ensure compliance with Law No. 2005-102 of 11 February 2005.

  • Identifying expert accessibility service providers to support RATP (EPIC)’s approach.

  • Helping plan training and awareness sessions for internal teams.

  • Responding to user requests and, more broadly, ensuring service quality for people with disabilities.

  • Monitoring regulatory and technological developments to remain compliant and up to date.

The monitoring and updating of this multi-year plan fall under this responsibility.

Organization for implementing digital accessibility

To implement digital accessibility within RATP (EPIC), particularly the actions defined in this plan, the digital accessibility officer will collaborate closely with the digital manager of the Marketing and Sales Department (DMC). An internal organization will be established to ensure policy consistency, including steering committees to monitor actions.

Recruitment and skills



At present, the skills required in digital accessibility are not yet defined in job descriptions for employees involved in digital projects. A dedicated initiative will be conducted in collaboration with Human Resources to integrate these skills, following an initial identification of relevant roles and job descriptions. As part of recruitment, accessibility requirements will be valued among candidates.

Handling user feedback



Accessibility statements published on RATP (EPIC) websites systematically include a contact method for people with disabilities. To harmonize and ensure consistency for users, RATP (EPIC) will gradually implement a single dedicated contact address across all accessibility statements: [email protected] User feedback will be managed by the digital accessibility officer and, more broadly, by the Accessibility Mission, which will relay requests to operational teams responsible for the relevant digital service. 7 Multi-year Digital Accessibility Plan 2026–2028 – RATP Group Each request will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to provide an appropriate response within a reasonable timeframe. An acknowledgment of receipt and follow-up will be provided.

Integration of digital accessibility into contractual clauses


Aware of the importance of integrating this requirement, RATP (EPIC) will launch an initiative in collaboration with IT procurement and legal teams to:

  • Draft a standard legal clause recalling the regulatory framework of the 11 February 2005 law and RGAA implementation.

  • Insert this clause into tender and contract templates managed by IT procurement.

  • Identify priority awarded public contracts to ensure RGAA compliance, with the possibility of contract amendments.

  • Generalize the use of the CSR matrix including accessibility requirements, developed by the Digital Factory and IT procurement, in contracts with external service providers.

These clauses will apply to both intellectual service procurement for digital projects and the acquisition of digital solutions.

Training and awareness


Digital accessibility awareness actions have already been carried out for certain RATP (EPIC) employees. Presentations by Microsoft’s digital accessibility officer, for example, helped raise awareness of accessibility features in digital tools such as Teams for people with hearing or visual impairments. The RATP Group University offers a wide range of e-learning courses, including disability awareness modules developed with the Accessibility Mission. RATP plans to enhance these modules by adding a chapter dedicated to digital accessibility. This self-service module will help broaden awareness and will also involve the Digital Academy. The Accessibility Mission will also organize an awareness conference on digital accessibility to achieve greater impact.


Beyond awareness, RATP (EPIC) will define dedicated training plans for digital teams to build technical skills in accessibility requirements, in collaboration with the Digital Academy.

External resources and tools


External expertise


RATP (EPIC) plans to rely on external accessibility experts to conduct accessibility audits. This expertise may also be maintained to support technical teams in advice and corrective implementation, as well as for post-remediation audits. External training organizations specializing in digital accessibility may also be used.

Technical tools


An increasing number of tools are used by technical teams to check digital accessibility.

  • Lighthouse, built into the Google Chrome browser, is used to check certain accessibility criteria, although it only partially assesses accessibility and must be supplemented by more advanced manual and technical tests.

  • Three Microsoft Edge extensions were referenced in November in the RATP Software Center:
    HeadingsMap (heading structure); WCAG Color Contrast Checker (contrast checking) and WAVE Evaluation Tool (comprehensive accessibility testing toolkit).

These extensions are available without restriction to all employees. The first two are recommended by the French government digital design guidelines and the national accessibility testing methodology website.

An initiative will be launched with IT teams to open installation rights for browser plugins and other technical tools, enabling digital teams to better equip themselves and test accessibility

User Testing with People with Disabilities


Accessibility integration in projects


RATP (EPIC) is progressively committing to systematically integrating digital accessibility from the design phase of new digital projects. This requirement will be shared with all digital stakeholders, including external service providers and the Digital Factory.


Accessibility, as a transversal and continuous requirement, must be integrated at all stages of digital projects:

  • During design, involving and raising awareness among business and design teams.

  • During development, through regular reviews in testing phases.

  • During operation and maintenance, through regular accessibility audits incorporating both technical recommendations and user feedback.

User testing with people with disabilities


RATP (EPIC) regularly conducts user tests on certain critical journeys or functionalities. These tests may include people with disabilities, as was the case for the virtual assistant (chatbot) available on ratp.fr. RATP (EPIC) has initiated an initiative-taking approach with associations from the Accessibility Advisory Committee, which can be mobilized and are regularly informed of new features. Monthly workshops with associations provide valuable opportunities for continuous improvement of digital accessibility.

Compliance assessments and regular audits


Regular compliance audits will be conducted to ensure the validity of accessibility statements for the digital services covered by this plan. Accessibility statements, valid upon publication, must be updated:

  • When a substantial modification or redesign of the website occurs.

  • Three years after publication of the statement;

  • or Eighteen months after publication of a new version of the reference framework for those applying the technical method.

RATP (EPIC) has identified priority digital services and their compliance levels at the time of publication of this plan: ratp.fr (79.5% compliance, audit July 2024), ratpgroup.com (79.6% compliance, audit March 2026), MaRATP.ratp.fr, grandprixpoesie.ratp.fr, and askip.ratp.fr (audits to be scheduled). This list is non-exhaustive and may evolve. Follow-up audits will also be conducted after corrective actions to measure progress and update accessibility statements.

Corrective measures and compliance timeline


After each accessibility audit, an improvement plan will be defined. Technical recommendations will first be analyzed to determine the responsible stakeholder (design, technical, or editorial). Prioritization will be based on user impact, criticality of user journeys, technical constraints, and associated costs. Detailed implementation timelines will be specified in annual action plans

Non-mandatory accessibility measures


In addition to legal obligations under the RGAA, RATP continues to pursue voluntary initiatives, including:

  • The production of Easy-to-Read and Understand (FALC) documents, notably practical guides for traveling by bus or metro, reviewed and validated by specialist associations.

  • The availability of the Elioz solution on ratp.fr to facilitate communication with deaf or hard-of-hearing users using French Sign Language, real-time transcription, or cued speech.

  • The integration of innovative tools such as the “Sound Companion” and “Train Companion” applications to assist visually impaired users through audio guidance on certain lines.