New roadmapping accessible transport report launches to help improve the UK’s accessibility policies
The Accessible Transport Policy Commission, part of the National Centre for Accessible Transport (ncat) and convened by a cross-party group of Parliamentarians, has launched its first report, to improve transport accessibility policy and regulation.
The UK’s lack of coherent inclusive transport strategies has failed disabled people, transport accessibility must become consistent across nations and modes to ensure disabled people can make seamless door-to-door journeys, says the Accessible Transport Policy Commission.
The ‘Joined-Up Policies, Joined-Up Journeys: Roadmapping Accessible Transport for the UK and Devolved Governments’ report sets out five-year roadmaps to improve transport accessibility policy and regulation in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Denied access to transport systems that are equitable, consistent, and inclusive by design, a report by Motability found disabled people make 38 per cent fewer journeys than non-disabled people across the UK transport system, with ncat research finding that 92 per cent of disabled people face barriers when using at least one mode of transport.
The exclusion caused by inaccessible transport prevents disabled people from fully contributing their talents, skills, and perspectives, stifling the ambition of policymakers to build a healthy, prosperous, and successful society by limiting access to employment, housing, health, and culture, says ncat. Its research shows this has a disproportionate impact on disabled people from marginalised and lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
Across the UK, barriers to transport are caused by fragmented governance, outdated frameworks, and faltering policy delivery, states ncat. The Commission’s report highlights the “postcode lottery” created for disabled people by inconsistent accessible transport standards, ineffective transport regulators, and a lack of integration between different transport modes, adds ncat.
Ncat says these systemic challenges and the highly devolved nature of UK transport policy mean that better coordination between policymakers is vital to enabling more equitable and inclusive travel.
The report also urges policy makers to bring disabled people, whose experiences and expertise are often overlooked – into decision making processes. Future reforms must embed co-production at all stages.
‘Joined-Up Policies, Joined-Up Journeys’ outlines a practical vision for standardising transport accessibility practices and integrating transport across the UK, says ncat. The report’s recommendations put coproduction at the heart of a series of five-year national roadmaps that pave the way for operational, strategic and legislative reforms to how transport policies are made and evaluated.
For individual nations, the report recommends year one in England should see the forthcoming Integrated National Transport Strategy should develop an accessible transport framework and form a Ministerial Taskforce across departments to deliver it.
Year two to three hopes to establish an Accessible Transport Standards Commission and UK-wide Disability Transport Taskforce to update and review accessible transport frameworks and regulation, and year four to five to conduct an England-specific review of the impact of the accessibility design and training standards, alongside the publishing of annual accessibility enforcement and compliance summaries.
In Wales, year one looks to establish a National Accessibility Advisory Panel to advise Ministers and integrate Disability Rights Taskforce Working Group for Travel’s recommendations and the Accessible Transport Plan into Llwybr Newydd.
Year two to three hopes to contribute to a UK-wide Disability Transport Taskforce to ensure strategic alignment, and establish local access plans, working with local authorities and corporate joint committees in Wales, and in year four to five to conduct a Wales-specific review of the impact of the accessibility design and training standards. Mandate accessibility and disability awareness training for all public-facing transport staff and managers within Transport for Wales.
In Scotland, year one looks to begin co-production of the Accessible Travel Framework for post-2026 that is in line with the National Transport Strategy two, with a cross-departmental taskforce established to deliver the framework.
Year two to three looks to contribute to a UK-wide Disability Transport Taskforce to ensure strategic alignment. Mandate accessibility and disability awareness training for all public-facing transport staff and managers within Transport Scotland. And year four to five looks to conduct a Scotland-specific review of the impact of the accessibility design and training standards, alongside the publishing of annual accessibility enforcement and compliance summaries.
Finally, in Northern Ireland, year one hopes to publish an inclusive transport strategy for NI and establish a cross-departmental Ministerial Taskforce on Accessible Transport. Set up more community accessibility panels at the district council level, linked to rural partnerships.
Year two to three hopes to reform the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 to introduce protection from indirect discrimination. Mandate accessibility and disability awareness training for all public-facing transport staff and managers within Department for Infrastructure. And in year four to five to conduct an NI-specific review of the impact of the accessibility design and training standards, alongside the publishing of annual accessibility enforcement and compliance summaries.
UK-based walking, wheeling and cycling charity Sustrans launched a project with Transport for All called Transforming Mobility to understand how to better include disabled people in transport planning.
