Final Transport Select Committee Session on access to transport
Transport for All
In November last year, the Commons...
In November last year, the Commons Transport Select Committee launched an inquiry into the effectiveness of legislation relating to access to transport for disabled people.
The final session of the inquiry took place on 3rd June at 4.10pm in Portcullis House. A member of DPTAC (the Disabled People’s Transport Advisory Committee); a representative from the Equality and Human Rights Commission; and representatives from unions Unite, TSSA and RMT gave evidence, as well as the Transport Minister Norman Baker.
You can see footage of the meeting at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=13202
Previous sessions have questioned transport providers such as Transport for London and EasyJet; disabled transport users; as well as charities and disabled people’s organisations – including Transport for All.
The transcripts of previous sessions are available at on the Committee Inquiry’s webpage.
Web forum: Tell the Committee your views and experiences of transport
Whether you are a carer or PA, or a disabled or older person, the Committee is seeking your views on using transport. What are the main problems? Which cities or transport providers are leading the way? The Committee will publish its recommendations in the summer: what do you think the priorities should be?
You can add your views to the webforum , or if you prefer, email them to transev@parliament.uk
The recommendations that TfA is making include:
- No access – no money: Accessibility written into the franchising process, so that transport providers bidding to run a service will have to compete in terms of promised accessibility improvements and their record on access
- Updated DfT guidelines on bus design to ensure that buses are spacious enough to meet the challenge of an aging population and increasing numbers of wheelchair users
- The expectation that staff will be available at all stages of a journey written into contracts with transport providers
- Requiring disabled people to give 24-hour notice to get assistance on the train is two-tier provision and destroys our ability to travel spontaneously. 24 hour notice. Unbooked assistance should be available at every station which is staffed throughout opening hours.
- Audio-visual information on every UK bus
You can read our full response here.