To read the full letter, see down below.
Dear Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Transport,
Re: Creating a future with accessible transport for all
We are the Accessible Transport Policy Forum, a coalition of disability and passenger organisations representing the 16 million Disabled people in the UK who face barriers across all modes of transport. Recent incidents, including the distressing experience of Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, highlight ongoing failures within our transport system to provide accessible and reliable services for Disabled passengers. These issues are a daily reality for many Disabled people, and its impact can be felt in every corner of our lives. It is time to stop accepting failures as inevitable and work together on real solutions to create change.
We were encouraged to hear your recent comments acknowledging that accessible transport is a critical issue that needs attention. As captured in a recent interview with Channel 4 News, your recognition of the importance of this matter gives us hope that meaningful change is possible. However, it is imperative that these words are followed by concrete actions to address the systemic barriers that Disabled people face.
We understand that there are upcoming reforms planned for the rail sector, including the creation of Great British Railways, which aims to unify the rail industry and prioritise the needs of passengers. While this unification presents an opportunity to overhaul and improve accessibility, we are concerned that previous versions of the legislation under the former government lacked strong requirements for rail operators to adhere to accessibility and assistance standards for Disabled passengers.
It is crucial that the upcoming Railways Act includes enforceable accessibility requirements to ensure that Disabled people can travel independently, safely, and with dignity. Bus services also remain a postcode lottery, with driver and staff awareness very mixed, accessibility of buses and stops sometimes years out of date and pedestrian rollout of audio-visual announcements and real-time information stalled.
The need for robust accessibility standards is underscored by findings from the latest Office of Rail and Road's 2023-2024 Passenger Assist Report. Passenger assistance fails about a quarter of the time—a figure that is growing year on year. Alarmingly, the number of passengers receiving none of the assistance they booked has risen, highlighting a troubling decline in service effectiveness. These failures are particularly concerning for passengers with non-visible impairments, who often face greater challenges in receiving the support they need. Despite the high satisfaction among those who do receive help, the increasing instances of passengers left without support drive home the need for comprehensive training for transport staff, reliable staffing levels, and clear accountability measures to ensure that Disabled passengers receive the assistance they need – whether via Turn Up and Go or pre booked services. Parallel to improvements on staffing and assistance, urgent progress is needed to deliver step-free level boarding across the rail network.
We request an urgent meeting with you, the Prime Minister, and the Secretary of State for Transport, to discuss these concerns and the necessary actions to improve accessibility across our transport system. As you may know, the Transport Select Committee recently conducted an enquiry into the legal obligations of transport providers regarding accessibility, concluding that:
“Accessibility cannot be regarded as a matter of regular customer service: that it is both a health and safety issue and a matter of human rights and protection from discrimination. In the light of this, the whole transport system needs a change of mindset, so that operators and others act on the basis that failures must be vanishingly rare, not commonplace.”
This meeting will provide an opportunity to develop a collaborative and comprehensive plan that ensures Disabled people are treated with respect and provided with the accessibility services they require. By working together, we can set a new standard for inclusive and accessible transport that not only meets the needs of Disabled people but also demonstrates the UK's commitment to equality and human rights for all its citizens.
We are committed to working with the government and transport providers to create a truly inclusive transport system that serves everyone equally. We urge you to take this opportunity to meet with us and commit to making the changes required to uphold the rights of Disabled people across the UK.
We look forward to your prompt response and the opportunity to collaborate on these critical changes.
Signed by a coalition of Disabled Peoples Organisations (DPOs) and charities