Recommendation 18

We welcome the focus in the Government’s rail reform consultation paper on streamlining, consolidating and strengthening powers for protecting passenger interests, resolving complaints and monitoring rights and standards. However, the focus on accessibility in the consultation document appears relatively weak in comparison to the severity of the problem. It will be necessary for the passenger watchdog to have substantial expertise in and resources dedicated to accessibility and inclusion if it is to make a significant difference to the everyday experience of disabled travellers. We draw attention to our recommendation later in this report that the Department assess whether a single body with responsibility for enforcing the rights of disabled travellers across transport modes would be a more effective model for bringing about change than mode-specific and general passenger rights bodies. (Conclusion, Paragraph 96)