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Accessible transport: legal obligations

Status: Closed Opened: 2 Feb 2023 Closed: 4 Mar 2026 18 recommendations 11 conclusions 1 report

A variety of legal obligations to ensure accessibility apply to transport operators and local licensing authorities across different modes of transport, and the Transport Committee has conducted an inquiry into these legal obligations and whether they are being met. The Committee published their report on Thursday 20 March 2025 Read the report Read the large … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
1st Report – Access denied: rights versus reality in disabl… HC 770 20 Mar 2025 29 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

5 items
3 Recommendation 1st Report – Access denied: rights vers… Accepted in Part

Publish new Inclusive Transport Strategy within 12 months with clear metrics, actions, and costed milestones.

The Government should publish within 12 months a new Inclusive Transport Strategy. This strategy must have a stretching ambition, but one underpinned by metrics, actions, costings and milestones which clearly map out a practical pathway to deliver on that ambition. It must be cross-modal and closely linked to the Government’s … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government accepts the need for an improved strategic approach to accessibility but will incorporate it within its forthcoming Integrated Transport Strategy (INTS) rather than publishing a separate Inclusive Transport Strategy, ensuring it has a clear action plan, milestones, and specific focus on people.
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Department for Transport
5 Recommendation 1st Report – Access denied: rights vers… Accepted in Part

Commit to publishing a roadmap for achieving independent rail network accessibility within 12 months.

As part of a new Inclusive Transport Strategy, the Government must set out concrete timescales for achieving independent accessibility across the rail network, and commit to setting out within 12 months a road map for how to meet those timescales. This road map must inform the rolling stock, station and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government will publish an Accessibility Roadmap later this year, outlining measures and initiatives to be undertaken before Great British Railways is established, but it does not explicitly commit to setting concrete timescales for achieving full independent accessibility across the entire rail network.
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Department for Transport
7 Recommendation 1st Report – Access denied: rights vers… Accepted in Part

Publish full station accessibility audit information and an open data register of key assets.

Station accessibility audit information must be published in full within two months of this report to permit independent scrutiny of progress, the resources required and any decisions made to rule out works at particular locations. In its Inclusive Transport Strategy, the Department should commit to compiling and publishing in open … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that rail station accessibility audit data is already available on the Rail Data Marketplace. For bus and rail accessibility assets, the Department is undertaking discovery work to capture this data within NaPTAN for future journey planning tools.
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Department for Transport
13 Recommendation 1st Report – Access denied: rights vers… Accepted in Part

Share DPTAC's policy involvement work plan and publish quarterly impact reports.

The Department should share with this Committee a work plan mapping out DPTAC’s involvement in upcoming policy decisions, and publish quarterly reports detailing the impact that DPTAC has had on the Department’s decision-making. (Recommendation, Paragraph 77) Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that DPTAC's publishing decisions are for DPTAC itself, but notes that DPTAC has agreed to enhance its public reporting by publishing regular work programme updates and meeting minutes at least quarterly.
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Department for Transport
16 Recommendation 1st Report – Access denied: rights vers… Accepted in Part

Establish an expert unit to review, benchmark, and standardise transport accessibility training packages.

It is not sufficient for training to be delivered on disability awareness, accessibility and preventing discrimination: the training must be of a guaranteed minimum standard and proven to be effective in improving outcomes. The Department for Transport should, with the active 76 participation of disabled people, establish an expert unit … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees there is merit in reviewing, benchmarking, and standardising training packages across transport modes. It will work with DPTAC and disabled persons organisations to assess how this can be undertaken timely to support new statutory training requirements, though it doesn't commit to establishing …
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Department for Transport

Oral evidence sessions

5 sessions
Date Witnesses
13 Dec 2023 Anthony Browne · Department for Transport, Guy Opperman · Department for Transport, Huw Merriman · Department for Transport, John Kirkpatrick · Equality and Human Rights Commission, Liz Wilson · Department for Transport View ↗
22 Nov 2023 Anna Bowles · Civil Aviation Authority, Councillor Linda Taylor · Local Government Association, Jacqueline Starr · Rail Delivery Group, Karen Dee · Airport Operators Association, Loveday Ryder · DVSA, Mr Keith McNally · Confederation of Passenger Transport, Ms Alison Smith · Network Rail and Great British Railways Transition Team, Rob Griggs · Airlines UK, Stephanie Tobyn · Office of Rail and Road View ↗
25 Oct 2023 Caroline Stickland · Transport for All, Catherine Casserley · Cloisters Chambers, Doug Paulley, Accessible transport campaigner, Professor Anna Lawson · School of Law, University of Leeds, Stephen Brookes MBE · Disability Rights UK View ↗
13 Sep 2023 Andy Mellors · Avanti West Coast, Anthony Smith · Transport Focus, Christopher Brooks · Age UK, David Horne · London and North Eastern Railway Company, Katie Pennick · Transport for All, Louise Rubin · Scope, Mick Lynch · National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT), Richard Allan · Chiltern Railways, Simon Moorhead · Rail Delivery Group, Stephanie Tobyn · Office of Rail and Road View ↗
14 Jun 2023 Alan Benson MBE, Christiane Link, Stephen Anderson, The Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE View ↗

Who gave evidence

32 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Stephanie Tobyn · Director of Strategy, Policy and Reform Office of Rail and Road 2
Alan Benson MBE — 1
Andy Mellors · Managing Director Avanti West Coast 1
Anna Bowles · Head of Consumer Policy and Enforcement Civil Aviation Authority 1
Anthony Browne · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Department for Transport 1
Anthony Smith · Chief Executive Transport Focus 1
Caroline Stickland · Chief Executive Officer Transport for All 1
Catherine Casserley · Barrister Cloisters Chambers 1
Christiane Link — 1
Christopher Brooks · Head of Policy Age UK 1
Councillor Linda Taylor · Vice Chair, Local Infrastructure and Net Zero Boa… Local Government Association 1
David Horne · Managing Director London and North Eastern Railway Company 1
Doug Paulley, Accessible transport campaigner — 1
Guy Opperman · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Roads … Department for Transport 1
Huw Merriman · Minister of State for Rail Department for Transport 1
Jacqueline Starr · Chief Executive Rail Delivery Group 1
John Kirkpatrick · Deputy Chief Executive Officer Equality and Human Rights Commission 1
Karen Dee · Chief Executive Airport Operators Association 1
Katie Pennick · Campaigns and Communications Manager Transport for All 1
Liz Wilson · Deputy Director, Accessibility, Coaches, Taxis an… Department for Transport 1
Louise Rubin · Head of Policy and Campaigns Scope 1
Loveday Ryder · Chief Executive DVSA 1
Mick Lynch · General Secretary National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT) 1
Mr Keith McNally · Operations Director Confederation of Passenger Transport 1
Ms Alison Smith · Accessibility and Inclusion Lead Network Rail and Great British Railways Transition Team 1
Professor Anna Lawson · Professor of Law School of Law, University of Leeds 1
Richard Allan · Managing Director Chiltern Railways 1
Rob Griggs · Policy and Public Affairs Director Airlines UK 1
Simon Moorhead · Chief Information Officer Rail Delivery Group 1
Stephen Anderson — 1
Stephen Brookes MBE · Rail Policy Advisor Disability Rights UK 1
The Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE — 1

Correspondence

19 letters
DateDirectionTitle
21 Jan 2026 To cttee Letter from the Minister for Rail relating to accessibility at stations, dated …
2 Jul 2025 To cttee Letter from the Secretary of State for Transport relating to the Government res…
13 Jun 2025 To cttee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Transport relating to the G…
21 Feb 2024 — Correspondence from the Minister for Maritime International and Security relati…
21 Feb 2024 — Correspondence from the Deputy Chief Executive, EHRC relating to accessible tra…
21 Feb 2024 — Correspondence from Chair to Minister for Maritime International and Security, …
24 Jan 2024 — Correspondence from the Operations Director, Confederation of Passenger Transpo…
17 Jan 2024 — Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for …
17 Jan 2024 — Correspondence from the Traffic Commissioner relating to Public Service Vehicle…
22 Nov 2023 — Correspondence from the Minister for Rail, Department for Transport, relating t…
15 Nov 2023 — Correspondence from the Managing Director, Chiltern Railways relating to rail t…
23 Oct 2023 — Correspondence from the Chair of the Committee to the Minister for Rail relatin…
20 Oct 2023 — Correspondence from the Chief Information Officer, Rail Delivery Group relating…
20 Oct 2023 — Correspondence from the Managing Director, Chiltern Railways relating to rail t…
20 Oct 2023 — Correspondence from the Managing Director, Avanti West Coast Railways relating …
20 Oct 2023 — Correspondence from the Managing Director, LNER relating to rail ticket office …
19 Sep 2023 — Correspondence from the Chief Executive, LNER, relating to Accessible transport…
12 Sep 2023 — Correspondence from the Rail Minister relating to rail ticket offices, dated 11…
12 Sep 2023 — Correspondence from Chair to the Rail Minister relating to rail ticket offices,…