Disability rights campaigners ask to meet Prime Minister over future of transport accessibility
Transport and disabled people’s charities are calling for an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Transport to secure urgent accessibility changes to public transport to prevent harm to disabled people.
Stephen Brookes, Transport Policy Adviser at Disability Rights UK, was among the signatories of the letter from the Accessible Transport Policy Forum, a coalition of disability and passenger organisations representing the 16 million disabled people in the UK who face barriers across all modes of transport.
Stephen commented: “It is important that disabled people’s organisations work together to make any changes in transport legislation a positive move for access for disabled passengers.”
Recent incidents, including the distressing experience of Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, highlight ongoing failures within the transport system to provide accessible and reliable services for disabled passengers, according to the forum.
These issues are a daily reality for many disabled people, says the coalition, and its impact can be felt in everywhere in daily life. It is time to stop accepting failures as inevitable and work together on real solutions to create change, it adds.
The Accessible Transport Policy Forum are concerned regarding upcoming reforms planned for the rail sector, as it says previous versions of the legislation under the former government lacked strong requirements for rail operators to adhere to accessibility and assistance standards for disabled passengers.
It is crucial that the upcoming Railways Act includes enforceable accessibility requirements to ensure that disabled people can travel independently, safely, and with dignity, says the coalition.
The Accessible Transport Policy Forum expresses that the need for robust accessibility standards is underscored by findings from the latest Office of Rail and Road’s 2023-2024 Passenger Assist Report, which revealed passenger assistance fails about a quarter of the time.
It also found the number of passengers receiving none of the assistance they booked has risen, highlighting a troubling decline in service effectiveness. These failures are particularly concerning for passengers with non-visible impairments, who often face greater challenges in receiving the support they need.
Despite the high satisfaction among those who do receive help, the increasing instances of passengers left without support drive home the need for comprehensive training for transport staff, reliable staffing levels, and clear accountability measures to ensure that disabled passengers receive the assistance they need, says the coalition.
Parallel to improvements on staffing and assistance, urgent progress is needed to deliver step-free level boarding across the rail network, it adds.
This meeting will provide an opportunity to develop a collaborative and comprehensive plan that ensures disabled people are treated with respect and provided with the accessibility services they require.
By working together, a new standard can be set for inclusive and accessible transport that not only meets the needs of disabled people but also demonstrates the UK’s commitment to equality and human rights for all its citizens, says the Accessible Transport Policy Forum.
