Source · Select Committees · Transport Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Deferred
Lead a review of transport accessibility legislation, collaborating with disabled people, to update and clarify standards.
Recommendation
The Department for Transport should lead a review of transport accessibility legislation in collaboration with the Office for Equality and Opportunity, and with meaningful involvement and leadership by disabled people, to assess how it could be streamlined, clarified and updated, and whether it should be underpinned by greater specification of the standards providers must work to. Specification of standards should include matters currently subject 78 only to the Public Sector Equality Duty or the duty to make reasonable adjustments. The review should be completed within 12 months of the publication of this report. (Recommendation, Paragraph 124) Regulation and enforcement
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the need to review transport accessibility legislation but has deferred the work to the Law Commission, having approached them to assess their capacity to undertake this review.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
28. The Department accepts the need to look again at the legislative framework for accessibility in transport. The inquiry has highlighted the complex nature of the legislative framework that has grown over the years and how this may lead to uncertainty or obfuscation in securing the rights of disabled people across our transport network. The Department agrees that there is value in further work being undertaken to review transport accessibility legislation. The objective of this should be to provide the universal and clear specification of the standards that must be worked to across transport modes and services. 29. As the findings of the inquiry outlines, the complexity of the current legislative framework means that undertaking this work will need careful consideration and planning. The Department believes that the Law Commission is best placed to undertake this work. As such, the Department has approached the Law Commission to assess their capacity to undertake this work. Subject to agreement with the Commission, the Department envisages this work being undertaken on a phased basis with clear milestones, for example including a consultation stage, and progress review points that will provide assurance that the review is progressing in a timely manner. The exact timeline and duration of this review will need to be confirmed with the Law Commission, but it is the Department’s intention that this will not affect progress on our existing planned legislative priorities. The Law Commission has advised the Department that it is experienced in conducting work in parallel to legislation being brought forth. 30. Transport focused work previously undertaken by the Law Commission includes the completion of a far-reaching review on behalf of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) to enable the safe and responsible introduction of automated vehicles on British roads and public places. This work informed the development of legislation leading to the Automated Vehicles Act 2024. The Commission is currently undertaking a review of the law around highly automated and autonomous flight on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Department for Transport. Disability focused work undertaken by the Commission includes the ongoing review of disabled children’s social care law, and the review of adult social care law which informed the development of the Care Act 2014.