MAKING transport more accessible would get millions more people into work and boost the economy by tens of billions of pounds, new research says.

Analysis by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers said the financial gains would exceed the full projected cost of delivering HS2, including links to north-west England and Scotland.

In a report, it described inaccessible buses, trains and stations as a “massive economic own goal” with around 2.8 million disabled people effectively locked out of the workforce in part due to transport barriers.

One in five shopping trips by disabled consumers abandoned due to transport barriers, said the study.

James Partington, of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: “Fixing accessibility is not just the right thing to do, it is one of the fastest ways to unlock jobs, boost the economy and future-proof the country.

“The prize is enormous. The cost of doing nothing is even bigger.”