The Transport Committee's Fifth Report of Session 2013-14: Access to transport for disabled people.
In its Fifth Report of Session 2013-14: Access to transport for disabled people the Committee calls on the Department for Transport (DfT) to deliver an ambitious Accessibility Action Plan following the raised expectations of disabled people during the Paralympics.
“Last year the London Paralympic Games brought a focus on what measures the UK could take to make transport as accessible for disabled people as it is for the rest of the population. These improvements for the Games built a considerable expectation that there would be a significant Paralympic legacy of improved access to transport for disabled people in the UK.
Subsequent to the Games, the Department for Transport published its Accessibility Action Plan. This set out measures to improve the physical accessibility of transport for disabled people; to provide better information for the disabled traveller; and to improve attitudes and behaviour towards disabled passengers. Many of its proposed measures are praiseworthy, but we are worried about how closely the implementation of this Plan is being monitored. The Government should publish annual updates about implementation of the plan, including data on changes in the number and types of journeys made by disabled people.”
The report highlights the importance of enabling and encouraging access to transport for disabled people to access more employment opportunities, travel to healthcare centres, easier access a wider range of education and training opportunities and travel to shops and to meet friends in cafes and bars, increasing the spending by consumers.
The report recommends that:
- the Cabinet Office convene a working group of ministers and officials to improve cross-government working on accessibility.
- the DfT develops and publishes a methodology for quantitative assessment of benefits from improving accessibility to disabled people.
- the DfT must work with the Disability Action Alliance to identify successful local authority and/or operator schemes and promote their development at a national level.
- the DfT publishes annual updates on the implementation of the measures in the Action Plan, which should include data on changes in the number and types of journeys made by disabled people.
- the DfT to complete its review of the Inclusive Mobility guidance in the first half of 2014.
Buses and coaches
- financial incentives should be introduced for bus and coach companies to bring forward capital investment in new PSVAR-compliant vehicles ahead of the deadline for compliance.
- there is a system of penalties for operators who fail to operate low-floor buses on routes advertised as such.
- the DfT works with bus operators to implement a nationwide campaign asking people to make space for wheelchairs in wheelchair areas of the buses.
- A kite-mark system for mobility scooters by the end of 2013.
- the Accessibility Action Plan should require a phased introduction of buses with audio-visual information systems over the next ten years.
- new buses should have audio-visual systems in place.
- the DfT should enable local authorities to pilot a scheme whereby accessible private hire vehicle consortia or community transport organisations can tender for local bus services which are eligible for Bus Service Operator’s Grant.
Rail
- the Office of Rail Regulation should work with the train operating companies and launch a widespread campaign to ensure that disabled people are aware of their rights regarding accessibility to the rail network, including receiving a taxi to the nearest available accessible station if necessary.
- the DfT should commission Passenger Focus to undertake a “mystery shopper” survey of users of Passenger Assist, to monitor the quality of the service. This should be repeated regularly.
- train operators must work to reduce the booking time required for organised assistance on a journey, so that advance booking for assistance is phased out.
- the DfT should involve disability organisations and charities in prioritising stations for improvements in the future Access for All programme and in identifying effective improvements at each station.
- the DfT must include a requirement in future rail franchise agreements for train operators to brief their station staff on the interchange beyond the station forecourt.
Taxis
- the DfT should introduce financial incentives for taxi and private hire operators to choose fully accessible vehicles when they invest in new fleets, with a target of a fully accessible taxi and private hire fleet within ten years.)
- the DfT should bring forward a programme of disability awareness training for drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles without delay, working with licensing authorities and the taxi trade on implementation.
Planning a journey
- the DfT should develop and implement a targeted marketing strategy to raise awareness of the new features of Transport Direct among disabled people. the DfT should review the Transport Direct website to increase its Web Content Accessibility Guidelines standard to AAA.
- those who are unable or unwilling to use the Internet must have an alternative means of planning an accessible journey.
Disability awareness
- the DfT should encourage local authorities to include travel training schemes in bids for funding in the next round of the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
- the DfT should end the exemption and work with the bus and coach industry and disability charities to develop a basic disability awareness training package for drivers for implementation by 2014, including investigating “e-learning” as a means of providing this training at a minimal cost. This should be included in the Accessibility Action Plan.
Air travel
- the DfT should seek to amend the air travel equality regulations (EC 1107/2006) to require airlines to allow carers to travel free of charge on an aircraft, where an airline judges a disabled person to be incapable of travelling independently contrary to the individual’s self-assessment.
- the DfT should urge the European Commission to bring forward proposals on adequate compensation by airlines for damaged mobility equipment.
DPTAC
- the Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee’s (DPTAC’s) key role should be to help the DfT develop and monitor the delivery of the Accessibility Action Plan.
- the DfT develops and publishes a methodology for quantitative assessment of benefits from improving accessibility to disabled people.
Government's response to the report
The Government has now published a reponse to the report.
You can download the original report and the Government's response at http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/transport-committee/news/dat-sp-report---substantive/
You can also watch a recording of the live debate on the report at at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=14536