Government publishes Inclusive Transport Strategy

Department for Transport commits to investment in accessible rail station access, toilets at motorway services and awareness campaigns

The government will put up to £300m into extending the Access for All programme, making railway stations more accessible, including through step-free access.

The funding commitment was announced alongside publication of the Inclusive Transport Strategy, which seeks to improve accessibility across all types of travel for those with both visible and less visible disabilities.

The Department for Transport said the new measures and funding will help ensure disabled people can travel confidently and easily.

The strategy includes investment in rail accessibility infrastructure, commitments to produce league tables that highlight operators that are delivering the best service for disabled people, and funding for Changing Places accessible toilets at motorway service stations.

The DfT said it will support the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) to improve and simplify Passenger Assist – the system disabled passengers use to book assistance on the rail network. Train operators will be held to account for delivering on this service, ensuring they compensate passengers if the booked assistance is not provided.

Other measures announced:

• £2m to install Changing Places toilets at motorway service stations, supporting disabled people to travel easily and comfortably on the road network
• £2m for audio and visual equipment on buses, so that passengers on almost every bus will know where and when to alight
• a £2m passenger awareness campaign to increase disability awareness and reduce hate crime on our network
• an accreditation scheme for transport operators to receive formal recognition for positive work to improve disabled passengers’ experiences, such as training frontline staff and senior management on disability awareness
• ensuring future technology is designed inclusively from the outset, with opportunities sought to harness innovation

The government has also imposed a moratorium on the creation of any new ‘shared space’ schemes in response to concerns raised during the consultation on its nrw Inclusive Transport Strategy. Shared space schemes involve the removal of features such as kerbs, road surface markings, designated crossing places and traffic signs are removed. In the strategy document, the Department for Transport said the “pause” will allow it to carry out research and produce updated guidance.

Transport accessibility minister Nusrat Ghani said: “Transport is at the heart of how we live our lives. It helps us get to work, stay in touch with friends and family, and access vital services like healthcare and education. But for our ageing population and the fifth of people who are disabled, access to transport can be far from straightforward. This Inclusive Transport Strategy is the first step in achieving a genuinely inclusive transport network, which meets the needs of all people, regardless of whether they are disabled or not.

“The government acknowledges there is a lot of work to do to make the transport system fully accessible by 2030. The physical infrastructure that will be required to achieve this will take time to build. However, we are committed to working at pace on those areas where we can make an immediate and important difference, such as training and assistance.”

The strategy a speech by Prime Minister Theresa May when said she wanted people to enjoy an extra five years of healthy and independent living by 2035, while also narrowing the gap between the richest and poorest.

The Inclusive Transport Strategy also includes raising awareness and enforcement of passengers’ rights, staff training and improvements to accessible information. It follows the Accessibility Action Plan consultation, which received over 1,000 responses.

The government’s upcoming Aviation Strategy will set out further measures to improve the airport and flying experience for disabled people. The DfT suggests measures could include working with industry to provide better staff training, offering improved on-board facilities and exploring possible changes to aircraft design.

Reaction to the strategy

Keith Richards, chair of the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, said: “DPTAC welcomes the publication of the ITS and the government’s commitments to better meeting the needs of disabled people. Our role, as independent statutory advisor, is to offer our advice as the ITS is delivered. As a ‘critical friend’ we will hold the government to account for delivering the strategy and for securing good outcomes for disabled people.

Nic Bungay, director of campaigns, care and information at Muscular Dystrophy UK: “Our campaigners have worked hard over the years to push for improvements and, while we know there is still a long way to go until people with disabilities have full accessibility, this announcement shows we are heading in the right direction.

“As the co-chairs of the Changing Places Consortium, we are also pleased that funding has been committed to installing these fully accessible facilities at motorway service stations across the country, and we look forward to working with DfT as these are put in place.”

Mark Lever, chief executive at the National Autistic Society: “The strategy launched today is a step forward, particularly the passenger awareness campaign and accreditation scheme for transport providers. We now need to make sure these measures aimed at all disabled people, fully reflect the experiences and needs of autistic people and their families. We and our supporters have been calling for the government to listen to autistic people and make sure public transport is accessible for all.

“There are around 700,000 autistic people in the UK who rely on trains and buses to go to school, work and to visit family. But many autistic people can feel so anxious about getting on public transport that they are unable to leave the house at all. It’s not just the worry about potential delays, cancellations and large crowds. It’s also the tuts and stares from other passengers who see someone acting differently, but don’t recognise that it’s because they’re autistic.”

Mark Atkinson, chief executive at disability charity Scope: “It’s positive to see this commitment from the government. There is a lot of work to do to bring our transport system up to scratch. Disabled people face unnecessary difficulties using all parts of the transport network every day.

“Scope’s research shows 40% of disabled people experience problems using trains. From airports to buses we’ve heard too many horror stories of disabled people let down by poor infrastructure, bad service, or being treated as an afterthought . This urgently needs to change. A genuinely inclusive transport network will make it much easier for disabled people to get to work, see family, and be part of their community.”