Select committee inquiry
Access to transport for people with disabilities
Closed
What the inquiry looked at
“This inquiry will examine the effectiveness of legislation relating to transport for disabled people. Further information Fifth report of Session 2013-14: Access to transport for disabled people (Volume I) (PDF 2.56 MB) Fifth report of Session 2013-14: Access to transport for disabled people (Volume II) (PDF 1.99 MB) Terms of reference”
The committee's words, from the inquiry page on parliament.uk ↗.
What the government said
5th Report - Access to transport for disabled people - Volume II (Volume II: additional written evidence)
No government response is linked to this report.
5th Report - Access to transport for disabled people - Volume I (Volume I: Report, together with formal minutes, oral and written evidence)
The government responded on 6 December 2013.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response.
The Government welcomes the Committee's report and notes its recommendations, committing to some measures such as an annual update on the Accessibility Action Plan while declining others, with reasons given.
- The Department for Transport "will publish an annual update" on the Accessibility Action Plan, with a new 'Transport and Disability' chapter in Transport Statistics Great Britain, released every December.
- On the Inclusive Mobility review, the Department remains committed to updating the guidance "by 2014", but says work "has been halted for the time being" because of corporate planning and resource constraints.
- It does not intend to legislate to make audio visual systems on buses mandatory, saying the business case for operators "cannot be demonstrated". It will publish costings on audio visual options in the upcoming progress report.
- On taxis and private hire vehicles, it is "not proposing to introduce financial incentives" for wheelchair accessible vehicles, nor to establish or fund a comprehensive driver training programme.
Read the government's response ↗ Read the report ↗ Report an error
How the inquiry ran
Each dot is a dated item listed on this page, from the inquiry's opening on 16 November 2012 to 24 February 2014.
- Oral evidence 2 sessions
- Report 2 reports
- Government response 6 Dec 2013
- Correspondence 24 Feb 2014
What it recommended 8 recommendations · 15 conclusions
1We have concerns about the lack of information available on how the Action Plan will...
Recommended (the committee's words)
We have concerns about the lack of information available on how the Action Plan will be monitored. We recommend that the Department for Transport publish 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.
2We urge the DfT to complete its review of the Inclusive Mobility guidance in the...
Recommended (the committee's words)
We urge the DfT to complete its review of the Inclusive Mobility guidance in the first half of 2014. The review should take account of new practice such as the growth of shared space infrastructure. It should also engage with disability charities and organisations to develop new ideas for providing accessible pedestrian infrastructure in the different physical environments around the UK.
3We believe that improvements to the bus network for disabled people are improvements for everyone.
Concluded (the committee's words)
We believe that improvements to the bus network for disabled people are improvements for everyone. As part of the Accessibility Action Plan, the DfT should: a) introduce financial incentives for bus and coach companies to bring forward capital investment in new PSVAR-compliant vehicles ahead of the deadline for compliance; b) introduce a system of penalties for operators who fail to operate low-floor buses on routes advertised as such; c) work with bus operators to implement a nationwide campaign asking people to make space for wheelchairs in wheelchair areas of the buses, similar to that undertaken by Transport for London; and d) introduce the kite-mark system for mobility scooters by the end of 2013. (Paragraph 25.d)
4We accept that retro-fitting and operating audio-visual equipment on an existing bus is expensive and...
Recommended (the committee's words)
We accept that retro-fitting and operating audio-visual equipment on an existing bus is expensive and difficult to justify on routes with a more marginal business case. A UK bus fleet fully equipped with audio-visual equipment is therefore unlikely in the short-term. We note various smartphone applications are being developed to assist people with visual or hearing impairments to complete their journey. However, due to the cost of technology and poor 3G mobile phone coverage in rural areas, these are unlikely to replace audio-visual passenger information in the foreseeable future. The DfT and transport authorities should review their position on audio-visual systems on buses. The Accessibility Action Plan should require a phased introduction of buses with audio-visual information systems over the next ten years. The DfT should therefore require new buses to have audio-visual systems in place.
5We believe that such shared taxis and other demand-responsive services could provide a wider-ranging, more...
Concluded (the committee's words)
We believe that such shared taxis and other demand-responsive services could provide a wider-ranging, more accessible form of public transport than infrequent buses on fixed routes through inaccessible areas and so deserve further investigation.
6We recommend that the DfT enable local authorities to pilot a scheme whereby accessible private...
Recommended (the committee's words)
We recommend that the DfT 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. We shall be looking in greater detail at this in our forthcoming inquiry into passenger transport in isolated communities.
7The Office of Rail Regulation should work with the train operating companies and launch a...
Concluded (the committee's words)
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.
8The DfT should commission Passenger Focus to undertake a “mystery shopper” survey of users of...
Recommended (the committee's words)
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.
9We welcome the DfT’s funding for accessibility improvements to stations.
Concluded (the committee's words)
We welcome the DfT’s funding for accessibility improvements to stations. 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. Station upgrades do not detract from the importance of staffed stations to ensure a safe and secure journey for disabled people and any changes in ticket offices should not reduce the level of staff on stations.
10The DfT must include a requirement in future rail franchise agreements for train operators to...
Concluded (the committee's words)
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.
11The DfT should introduce financial incentives for taxi and private hire operators to choose fully...
Concluded (the committee's words)
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.
12Building on the success in Merseyside, the DfT should bring forward a programme of disability...
Concluded (the committee's words)
Building on the success in Merseyside, 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.
13There is a risk that the investment to enable the planning of an accessible journey...
Concluded (the committee's words)
There is a risk that the investment to enable the planning of an accessible journey via Transport Direct will not reap its full benefit due to a lack of awareness of the site. As part of the Accessibility Action Plan, the DfT should develop and implement a targeted marketing strategy to raise awareness of the new features of Transport Direct among disabled people.
14We recommend that the DfT reviews the Transport Direct website to increase its Web Content...
Recommended (the committee's words)
We recommend that the DfT reviews the Transport Direct website to increase its Web Content Accessibility Guidelines standard to AAA. The DfT should ensure those who are unable or unwilling to use the Internet have an alternative means of planning an accessible journey.
15The DfT should encourage local authorities to include travel training schemes in bids for funding...
Concluded (the committee's words)
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.
16We are disappointed that the DfT exercised its exemption to the requirement to provide disability...
Concluded (the committee's words)
We are disappointed that the DfT exercised its exemption to the requirement to provide disability awareness training to staff in the bus and coach industry. The needs of disabled users with all impairments should be taken into account. 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.
17The DfT should seek to amend the air travel equality regulations (EC 1107/2006) to require...
Concluded (the committee's words)
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.
18The DfT should urge the European Commission to bring forward proposals on adequate compensation by...
Concluded (the committee's words)
The DfT should urge the European Commission to bring forward proposals on adequate compensation by airlines for damaged mobility equipment.
19We are pleased at the Government’s decision to retain the Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee.
Recommended (the committee's words)
We are pleased at the Government’s decision to retain the Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee. Where the DfT requires guidance documents, disabled people’s charities and organisations will be able to commission and produce such documents, possibly with private sector sponsorship. A smaller, more efficient DPTAC should have a role in the quality assurance of such documents, but not in their production. DPTAC’s key role should be to help the DfT develop and monitor the delivery of the Accessibility Action Plan. We recommend that future role of 29 DPTAC be one of providing informal and practical advice to the DfT during policy development, the specification of research, and the analysis of policy impact. We therefore recommend that representatives from mainstream transport operators be included in the reformatted committee, to enable it to better advise the DfT on what is feasible.
20In many areas of transport expenditure, the DfT undertakes an economic cost- benefit analysis, which...
Recommended (the committee's words)
In many areas of transport expenditure, the DfT undertakes an economic cost- benefit analysis, which it uses to justify changes in expenditure. A methodology for quantitative assessment of accessible transport is not available and so spending decisions on it are not available for scrutiny. We recommend that the DfT develops and publishes a methodology for quantitative assessment of benefits from improving accessibility to disabled people.
21Enabling and encouraging access to transport for disabled people will have widespread benefits.
Concluded (the committee's words)
Enabling and encouraging access to transport for disabled people will have widespread benefits. For example: i) Disabled people would be able to access more employment opportunities. This would improve the standard of living for disabled people. For government, improving the accessibility of transport might therefore reduce the out of work benefit payments made by the Department for Work and Pensions and increase tax income to the Treasury. ii) Disabled people would be able to travel to healthcare centres, reducing the requirement for home visits. iii) Disabled people would have easier access to a wider range of education and training opportunities. iv) Disabled people would be able to travel to shops and to meet friends in cafes and bars, increasing the spending by consumers.
22Given the potential benefit across government from promoting transport for disabled people, we are surprised...
Concluded (the committee's words)
Given the potential benefit across government from promoting transport for disabled people, we are surprised at the lack of such co-ordination and engagement currently between departments, as seen with the lack of co-ordination between the DfT and Department for Work & Pensions over changes to Motability. The Environmental Audit Committee recommended in its recent report “Transport and accessibility to public services” that the Cabinet Office convene a working group of ministers and officials to improve cross-government working on accessibility. We agree with this recommendation.
23Local government and the strategic transport authorities have the closest involvement with transport operators and...
Concluded (the committee's words)
Local government and the strategic transport authorities have the closest involvement with transport operators and passengers. It is essential that disabled people can work at a strategic-level with local decision-makers at the planning stage of transport services and infrastructure in a local area. When there is a local scheme that is very successful, there should be a means of promoted nationwide so that its full potential is harnessed. The DfT must work with the Disability Action Alliance to 30 identify successful local authority and/or operator schemes and promote their development at a national level. Details of schemes being progressed should be published on an annual basis alongside the annual update of the implementation of the Accessibility Action Plan.
Evidence
Oral evidence sessions 2
- 15 Apr 2013No witnesses recordedparliament.uk ↗
- 11 Mar 2013No witnesses recordedparliament.uk ↗