Please find below content of a letter from Rail Minister, Paul Maynard, explaining the Government's plans to hold a consultation on its draft Accessibility Action Plan, which seeks to ensure that people with physical and hidden disabilities have the same access to transport and opportunities to travel as everyone else. This consultation seeks to understand what more needs to be done to improve transport accessibility. You can find the original letter attached below.
Details of how to take part in the consultation can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/draft-transport-accessibility-action-plan
Dear Colleague,
Accessibility Action Plan Consultation
I am writing to inform you that today I will be publishing the Government’s draft Accessibility Action Plan. At the same time I am launching a public consultation seeking views from interested parties on the draft Plan’s content.
My ambition is to ensure that people with physical and hidden disabilities have the same access to transport and opportunities to travel as everyone else. This consultation seeks to understand what more needs to be done to improve transport accessibility and is my first major action as Accessibility Minister.
The Accessibility Action Plan Consultation sets out my proposed strategy to address the gaps in existing provision of transport services which serve as a barrier to people with disabilities. It will be delivered in close partnership with a wide range of public and private sector bodies, as well the travelling public.
The draft strategy includes:
- advocating for greater consistency in the way transport services and facilities are delivered;
- ensuring that accessibility features currently required by regulations are consistently monitored and compliance is enforced;
- reviewing and monitoring access to parking in line with the Government’s manifesto commitment to improve disabled access to parking;
- improving the amount, reliability and available information on passenger facilities, particularly accessible toilets, at stations and on trains;
- highlighting the need for better awareness training for transport staff of the requirements of people with visible and hidden disabilities or impairments, and promoting best practice disability training guidance;
- identifying and taking steps to address the challenges facing those with
physical or mental impairments seeking to travel spontaneously.
As Member of Parliament for East Worthing and Shoreham, I would welcome your input to this consultation and would ask that you bring this consultation to the attention of your constituents as well as relevant stakeholders.
The Accessibility Action Plan Consultation will be open for three months from Thursday 24 August. A final version of the Accessibility Action Plan will be published in 2018.
Disabled people have as much right to travel independently as anyone else and I am committed to delivering a transport system that works for everyone.
I will be placing a copy of the draft Accessibility Action Plan in the libraries of both Houses.
