To answer the question literally, to increase the number of disabled users of the railways, you need to increase the number of the disabled first. Break a leg or two.

On a more serious note, the trouble is in the chain of transport, not in a railway as such. We travel intermodally, so that the success of some ideally planned and implemented station can be severely hindered by a sudden replacement carriage with no level access, or a tight schedule when a train stops for a minute or two, or some uneasy approach on the town side, etc.

Finally, there is a human factor. When a train is full, passengers box their way out and in, and when inside a carriage, they occupy seats both reserved and not. Who is be going to be left at the plattform, intentionally or elsewise?.. Myself, I have experienced conductors commanding wheelchairs and prams out in order to let more regular passengers in.

I think the above two comments provide good explanations. Often disabled users are hampered by inconsistent infrastructure provision. For example, the station they wish to board may make provision for someone in a wheelchair, but the station they wish to alight may not, so the whole trip is inaccessible to them. This is certainly an issue with the rail system here in Brisbane. And whilst there is a program to upgrade all rail stations to be PWD accessible, this has been ongoing for decades and there are still many older stations that do not provide for persons with a disability.

Thanks for your helpful responses.

I agree that the door-to-door concept is crucial, and that rail is just one link in the transportation chain.

Greetings from sunny Belgrade,

Zdenka.