Disabled passengers across Great Britain are set to benefit from accessibility improvements at 124 stations thanks to a £20m government fund.

The enhancements announced by the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps today (February 26) are funded through the Access for All programme and will include new lifts, accessible toilets and customer information screens.

It comes as a new Government campaign launched this week to improve the journeys of disabled passengers on public transport.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“The ability to travel easily from A to B is an essential factor for our day to day lives – but is not the reality for everyone.

“I recognise that we have much more to do, which is why we’re making 124 train stations across the country more accessible – a key part of levelling-up access for disabled people to transport and opening up opportunities for all.

“This is just the start of a much more ambitious agenda. My goal is to go much further in the years ahead to help ensure that our country’s transport system becomes one of the most accessible in the world.”

These improvements are being made through the Access for All programme which, since 2006, has already made more than 200 stations step free, as well as delivered smaller scale accessibility improvements at more than 1,500 others to improve passenger experience.

Today’s £20million is part of a £300million package announced last year which is already providing accessible, step free routes at 73 stations across Great Britain, making it easier for disabled people to travel on the UK’s rail network.

Minister for Disabled People Justin Tomlinson said:

“Everyone using our rail network deserves platforms and toilets they can use and this £20million investment to improve 124 railway stations across the country will make a huge difference to disabled people.

“This Government is committed to levelling up the playing field and later this year we’ll launch a national strategy which will ensure disabled people have equal access to all spheres of life.”

This follows the launch of the ‘it’s everyone’s journey’ advertising campaign to highlight how we can all play a part in making public transport inclusive. The campaign is being supported by more than 100 partners, including First Group, WHSmith Travel and the Alzheimer’s Society.

Department for Transport research has shown that behaviours that make public transport a daunting place for disabled people are often unconscious, such as not looking out for a fellow passenger who might need a seat or be in distress.

‘it’s everyone’s journey’ will raise awareness about the needs of disabled people when using public transport, particularly people with non-visible impairments, and will also prompt members of the public to think and consider how their behaviour might impact others.

Alongside this, the Department has also launched its Inclusive Transport Leaders scheme, an accreditation scheme which will encourage, celebrate and promote best practice in inclusive transport.

Operators, such as bus and train companies, are encouraged to sign up to the Inclusive Transport Leaders Scheme, where they will work towards one of three accreditation levels by demonstrating the steps they have taken to improve the travelling experiences of disabled passengers, older people, and those with reduced mobility.

These improvements form part of the wider Inclusive Transport Strategy and supports the Government’s ambition of achieving equal access for all on public transport.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is today (February 25) accelerating progress to make the UK a world leader for accessible travel as a new Government campaign launches to improve the journeys of disabled passengers on public transport.

The Department for Transport has launched the ‘it’s everyone’s journey’ advertising campaign to highlight how we can all play a part in making public transport inclusive. The campaign is being supported by more than 100 partners, including First Group, WHSmith Travel and the Alzheimer’s Society.

As one in four disabled people say the attitudes of other passengers prevent them from using public transport, the campaign will encourage everyone to reflect on how common, and often unconscious, behaviours can impact others and what we can all do to create a more considerate environment for passengers.

 

The Government will also shortly be announcing 124 stations across Great Britain which will benefit from a share of a £20million government investment for accessibility improvements. The enhancements – funded through the Access for All programme – will include new lifts, accessible toilets and customer information screens.

 Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“I want our transport system to be the best in the world for disabled people, but we still have a long way to go.

“Our ‘it’s everyone’s journey’ campaign highlights that we can all play a part in making transport more accessible for disabled people. Because I believe we should all be making a determined effort to make public transport accessible to everyone, and I am committed to accelerating the pace of change.

“We are launching a new scheme to recognise those transport operators which are getting it right and will work quickly to implement recommendations from the upcoming Keith Williams Review to improve rail accessibility.”

Department for Transport research has shown that behaviours that make public transport a daunting place for disabled people are often unconscious, such as not looking out for a fellow passenger who might need a seat or be in distress.

‘it’s everyone’s journey’ will raise awareness about the needs of disabled people when using public transport, particularly people with non-visible impairments, and will also prompt members of the public to think and consider how their behaviour might impact others.

Combatting barriers to public transport is also one of the key parts of the Government’s Loneliness Strategy which includes the funding of a Kent coffee caravan and the pilot to expand the services provided by mobility centres in England.

John Birtwistle, Head of Policy at FirstGroup, said:

“FirstGroup is particularly proud to be a partner in the launch of “it’s everyone’s journey”.  For many years we have sought to improve our services to reflect the needs of travellers with disabilities and to overcome barriers to use of public transport.

“We will continue to encourage every one of our customers to be considerate to both their fellow travellers, and to our drivers who do a great job under difficult conditions, and we welcome this wide reaching national campaign.”

Alongside this, the Department is launching its Inclusive Transport Leaders scheme, an accreditation scheme which will encourage, celebrate and promote best practice in inclusive transport.

Operators, such as bus and train companies, are encouraged to sign up to the Inclusive Transport Leaders Scheme, to be recognised for the positive actions they are taking to improve disabled passengers’ experiences on public transport, and to encourage others to follow their lead.

They can work towards one of three accreditation levels ‘Committed’, ‘Operator’ or ‘Leader’ by meeting designated criteria and publicly declaring the steps they have taken to improve the travelling experiences of disabled passengers, older people, and those with reduced mobility.

These improvements form part of the wider Inclusive Transport Strategy and supports the Government’s ambition of achieving equal access for all on public transport.

Research from TRL, a specialist in the delivery of transport research and technology, is also being published today, carried out to inform revisions of the tactile paving and inclusive mobility guidance which the department intends updating later this year.

Buses around Great Britain will become more accessible for disabled passengers thanks to a new partnership with the Real Time Information Group (RTIG), announced today (Tuesday, October 29).

The group, which supports good practice in the use of communications technology on public transport, will work with the Department for Transport to allocate £2million of funding to small bus operators for audible and visible on-board information.

With around 50 per cent of public transport journeys made on buses, this funding will help to ensure that passengers can board more buses with greater confidence, knowing where they are and when to get off.

It coincides with the launch of the ‘It’s everyone’s journey’ campaign, the first stage of a new Government-backed initiative to highlight the part we can all play in improving disabled people’s experiences when using public transport.

The department is now calling on charities, transport operators, and commercial organisations to join the campaign, helping to raise awareness of the needs of disabled travellers and share some of the improvements being made to make travel easier for the one in five disabled people in the UK.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said:

“It is unacceptable that people still feel they cannot travel by bus, because of a lack of basic route and destination information on board local bus services. 

“This partnership is the next step in ensuring that passengers have the information they need to travel confidently on local bus services throughout Great Britain.

“However, we know there is more to do which is why I’m delighted we’re also launching our It’s everyone’s journey campaign today and I invite as many partners as possible to join up so that everyone has equal access to public transport.”                                      

Accessibility Minister Nusrat Ghani said:

“Transport is at the heart of how we live our lives, and I am determined that we remove any barriers faced by disabled people. 

“Every passenger, regardless of where they travel in Great Britain, should be able to do so confident that they have boarded the correct vehicle and are travelling to the right place.

“That’s why it’s fantastic to announce this partnership with the Real Time Information Group today, and I hope this funding will help more buses meet the needs of the people who rely on them every day.”

The fund for the provision of audio and visual information on-board buses was announced as part of the government’s Inclusive Transport Strategy which aims to provide equal access to the transport network by 2030.

Operators of local bus services are likely to be required to have audio and visible information systems in their vehicles, and this funding is intended to help small operators which might find this costly to implement.

With audio visual equipment only available in limited areas, and predominantly provided by larger operators, the department expects this funding to benefit up to 30 small bus operators.

Tim Rivett, General Manager at the Real Time Information Group, said:

“Audio visual information helps reduce barriers to travel and increases confidence in public transport for all passengers, but particularly disabled passengers.

“RTIG is looking forward to working with the Department to help small operators roll out audio visual information and provide the customer benefits more quickly than would otherwise happen.”

In the first phase of ‘It’s everyone’s journey’, the campaign will work with partner organisations to communicate the improvements that are happening at a local and national level to make public transport more accessible and inclusive of disabled people.

It will be followed by a public advertising campaign early in 2020 that will challenge how we all use public transport and encourage everyone to reflect on how common, and often unconscious, behaviours can impact others.

This is another commitment in the Inclusive Transport Strategy and is the next in a series of improvements by the Transport Secretary to create a more accessible transport network, helping disabled people travel safely and with confidence.

A study commissioned by Department for Transport to investigate how access to transport affects the life opportunities and wellbeing of people living in England found that access to public transport has a wide-ranging positive impact on people’s lives.

The research, carried out by NatCen and the University of the West of England, published today along with two other studies, found public transport is important for being able to access services like healthcare, food shops and education.

The Government recently announced a major package of new measures worth £220million, which will invest in new ways to ensure more flexible public transport such as express lanes for buses, to start in the West Midlands.

The long term funding plan for the upcoming long-term bus strategy – a first for the UK – is expected at the 2020 spending review.