National Assembly for Wales Policy Review

Public Transport in Wales

Disability Wales/Anabledd Cymru supports the development of a comprehensive, integrated public transport system accessible to all. The current lack of a barrier-free transport chain - from front door to destination and back again - is a major disabling barrier in Wales, as are the restrictions placed on disabled people who want to move easily and safely between modes of transport, many of which are not accessible. We would stress the importance of accessible transport policies both in enabling disabled people to live as independently as possible and to be fully included as equal members of their local community and society as a whole. Transport provision for disabled people should not be regarded as a matter of welfare or a "special" additional service, but as an economic necessity especially for those who work.General commentsDisability Wales notes that, where a public transport system has been made fully accessible, it has resulted in greater public use and improved schedules, showing greater efficiency and cost effectiveness. Disability Wales supports the bus, tram and light rail systems, which achieve this, and welcomes the development of recent systems which are totally accessible. Disability Wales notes a Sheffield study which shows that it is the inadequacies of transport which confine frail, elderly people to their homes. It observes the failure to integrate transport services and to ensure that they are (demand) responsive to people's needs.Disability Wales welcomes the advances made in securing legislation requiring public transport services to be accessible to all; examples include the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee's (DPTAC) Recommended Specification for Buses used to Operate Local Services, and calls for agreed standards which manufacturers can adopt . We acknowledge that Parts III and V of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 should result in the improvement of rights of access to transport for disabled people, notwithstanding the recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force report "From Exclusion to Inclusion" relating to transport, which should be implemented by the National Assembly for Wales as a means of strengthening the current duties under the DDA. The establishment of the Disability Rights Commission in Wales should mean that disabled peoples’ rights under the Act would be monitored and enforced. Disability Wales commends the requirement that all who manage and operate transport services should have adequate and appropriate training and that disability organisations should be consulted at the earliest stage of proposals relating to transport schemes and staff training. Disability Wales also calls for inclusion of disability equality training as an integral part of education and training for all professions concerned with any aspect of transport. Further, where local authorities support services, Disability Wales calls for any grant to be conditional on use of accessible vehicles.Access to public transport is often due to the inability to get as far as the nearest pick-up point or terminus, and this may be made even more difficult in town centres with pedestrianisation schemes. Disability Wales therefore calls for a co-ordinated and inclusive approach to urban design which ensures that transport users needs are recognised, and that the range of transport services relate to each other. The design of bus stations and train stations is important and proper attention given to communication, especially for people with impaired sight or hearing. Announcements in all places need to take these needs into account, with publicity in suitable type as well as at an appropriate height for reading from a wheelchair.Bus ServicesDisability Wales is greatly concerned at the lack of access on minibuses, both for scheduled services and also for other services such as education, health, social and community services, and voluntary organisations. It deplores the failure, especially in rural areas without public transport, to co-ordinate the transport which is available.The phased implementation of Part V of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, (DDA) together with supporting regulations (eg Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 1998) sets out the following proposed timetable for accessible provision:

• New large single deck buses must meet access requirements from 2000
• New double deck buses must meet access requirements from 2001
• New smaller buses and coaches must meet access requirements from 2005

There are various end-dates, by which all vehicles (new and old) must comply with access regulations, ranging from 2015 to 2020. Whilst acknowledging the need for reasonable end-dates to prevent withdrawal of services, Disability Wales would like to see the speedy implementation of accessible bus provision, and would wish to see these timescales regularly reviewed and monitored.Its is with concern that Disability Wales notes that voluntary Dial-a-Ride schemes are expected to fill the gap left by statutory authorities and private operators that fail to provide (or assist with the provision of) accessible transport services. Such schemes are complementary to other forms of transport and not a substitute for them, and furthermore require proper funding to maintain their services. Disability Wales welcomes the approach in Devon where a comprehensive policy has been developed to meet needs in rural areas.The effective provision of bus services in rural areas of Wales is a key issue, and we were pleased to note the results of a DETR study of a rural bus service in Cornwall, where the introduction of low-floor buses resulted in a 15% increase in passenger levels, with disabled people and passengers with pushchairs being significant users of the new service. Certain operating costs, including fuel and maintenance, fell following the introduction of accessible design solutions.Given the paucity of accessible bus services in Wales, Disability Wales calls on local authorities to consider issuing concessionary travel vouchers, to be used for taxi and other personal transport services, as an alternative to bus passes.Taxi ServicesIn certain circumstances taxi services are important in meeting individual transport needs, though their cost will limit their use. Disability Wales welcomes the development of accessible hackney carriages ("black cabs") and, as for other transport stresses the importance of agreed design standards. DW strongly supports Government proposals and local authority policies (e.g. Swansea, Cardiff) that limit all of a significant proportion of new or renewed licenses to operators using accessible taxis and urges all licensing authorities to do the same. DW commends to the National Assembly for Wales the schemes in London Boroughs and in Lothian (in Scotland) in providing subsidies through a 'taxi card' scheme for disabled people.We endorse the DRTF recommendation that DDA provisions relating to the requirement for taxis to carry registered assistance dogs should be brought into force as soon as possible. Rail ServicesThe Disability Wales survey of access to railway stations shows the severe limitation of rail transport for ambulant disabled people and wheechair-users. Unless access to stations is possible and parking is available, access to the train itself is pointless. Even where access is possible, many stations are now unstaffed part time or all the time and without information about train running times.The DDA Part III duties, introduced in October 1999, together with the duty in 2004 to remove physical barriers to services, should ensure that station operators provide a service that is not less favourable to disabled people. However, we are concerned that transport services (eg train and bus operators) are still currently exempt from the scope of the Act which deals with reasonable adjustments to polices, practices and procedures and the provision of auxiliary aids and services. We endorse the DRTF recommendation that this anomaly should be addressed, and that the Disability Discrimination Act should be extended to cover every aspect of the transport chain. This is particularly important when planning and developing a "seamless service" approach to the transport chain, so that passenger transitions between service providers, operators and infrastructures are not subject to disabling barriers. Disability Wales notes the current limited designated wheelchair space on trains, together with the lack of accessible toilet facilities, which inhibits their use, especially where several people with mobility problems are travelling together. Pre-booking is also a problem when travel plans cannot be predetermined (because of other factors such as urgent business meeting) and where a connection is missed through train delays. It should be remembered that, apart from the South Wales main line and two trains daily on the North Wales coast route, the rest of Wales is not served by mainstream (Intercity) services. Since privatisation, problems with interconnection are increasing. Services do not wait for connecting trains. Arrangements for transfer at connecting stations, such as Birmingham, and Chester and Crewe - changes at both of these needed for some North Wales trains - are often unsatisfactory. Even with notice, there are many instances where arrangements have failed and disabled passengers stranded. Disability Wales notes that where railway systems are accessible greater use in made of them by all passengers.We note the development proposals for improving access to rail vehicles made under Part V of the DDA and other regulations, but we are disappointed with the lack of progress in determining an 'end-date’ by which all rail vehicles should comply with rail accessibility regulations. We also endorse the DRTF recommendation that accessibility regulations should apply to the refurbishment of older stock following consultation about agreed definitions. Disability Wales urges that all elements in a fragmented privatised rail system should develop co-ordinated access policies for disabled passengers to ensure development of a uniformly accessible service. AviationWhereas in general the provision for disabled passengers is good for air travel in access to and within airports (where prior booking is usual, other than for shuttle services), the design of passenger accommodation in aircraft, and especially of toilet facilities, is poor. Disability Wales deplores the failure of holiday travel companies to give clear and accurate information about travel for disabled people, and the lack of suitable facilities in aircraft owned by many charter airlines. Disability Wales welcomes the reduction in the practice of seeking information on "offensive" personal attributes and calls for an immediate end to such practices by all airlines. It should be noted that the DDA does not cover aviation, although services provided at airports are covered by the duties under Part III of the Act.We endorse the DRTF recommendation to produce a specific Code of Practice for air operators that would address the barriers for disabled people to air travel, and would wish to see its urgent implementation. Disability Wales calls for all airline operators to introduce accessible aircraft and to provide appropriate training for staff.ShippingDisability Wales welcomes improvements in ferry design and ferry operator practice to enable disabled travellers to use facilities within marine safety regulations. It is noted, though, that newer designs for faster hydrofoil ferries (Seacat etc) are not accessible. The DDA does not cover shipping, but access to services provided at passenger terminals are covered by the duties under Part III of the Act. Disability Wales call for all ferry operators to introduce accessible ferries and to provide appropriate training for staff.CONCLUSIONDisabled people in Wales expect and require a fully integrated and accessible transport system for the 21^st century. New legislation has gone some way in addressing the dismantling of a wide range of disabling transport barriers; the challenge for the National Assembly for Wales is to continue this progress, and to encourage the strategic development of a seamless transport chain that can be used by disabled people easily and safely.  DW contact: Graham Findlay, Access OfficerTel: 029 20 887325 / e mail: graham@dwac.demon.co.uk SEPTEMBER 2000