Accessible transport: legal obligations

Transport Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 2 Feb 2023 Closed: 4 Mar 2026 Parliament page
A variety of legal obligations to ensure accessibility apply to transport operators and local licensing authorities across different modes of transport, and the Transport Committee has conducted an inquiry into these legal obligations and whether they are being met. The Committee published their report on Thursday 20 March 2025 Read … Read more
18 Recommendations
11 Conclusions
4 Reports
5 Oral sessions
19 Letters
5 Events
Activity timeline 37 events
21 Jan
2026
Correspondence
2 Jul
2025
Correspondence
13 Jun
2025
Report published
13 Jun
2025
Report published
13 Jun
2025
Report published
13 Jun
2025
Report published
13 Jun
2025
Correspondence
20 Mar
2025
Report published
20 Mar
2025
Report published
20 Mar
2025
Report published
20 Mar
2025
Report published
21 Feb
2024
Correspondence
Oral evidence sessions 5 sessions
13 Dec 2023
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Anthony Browne · Department for Transport Guy Opperman · Department for Transport Huw Merriman · Department for Transport John Kirkpatrick · Equality and Human Rights Commission Liz Wilson · Department for Transport
22 Nov 2023
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Anna Bowles · Civil Aviation Authority Councillor Linda Taylor · Local Government Association Jacqueline Starr · Rail Delivery Group Karen Dee · Airport Operators Association Loveday Ryder · DVSA Mr Keith McNally · Confederation of Passenger Transport Ms Alison Smith · Network Rail and Great British Railways Transition Team Rob Griggs · Airlines UK Stephanie Tobyn · Office of Rail and Road
25 Oct 2023
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Caroline Stickland · Transport for All Catherine Casserley · Cloisters Chambers Doug Paulley, Accessible transport campaigner Professor Anna Lawson · School of Law, University of Leeds Stephen Brookes MBE · Disability Rights UK
13 Sep 2023
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Accessible transport: ticket office closures
Andy Mellors · Avanti West Coast Anthony Smith · Transport Focus Christopher Brooks · Age UK David Horne · London and North Eastern Railway Company Katie Pennick · Transport for All Louise Rubin · Scope Mick Lynch · National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT) Richard Allan · Chiltern Railways Simon Moorhead · Rail Delivery Group Stephanie Tobyn · Office of Rail and Road
14 Jun 2023
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Alan Benson MBE Christiane Link Stephen Anderson The Baroness Grey-Thompson DBE
Recommendations & Conclusions
5 results
Clear
3 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Publish new Inclusive Transport Strategy within 12 months with clear metrics, actions, and costed milestones.
The Government should publish within 12 months a new Inclusive Transport Strategy. This strategy must have a stretching ambition, but one underpinned by metrics, actions, costings and milestones which clearly map out a practical pathway to deliver on that ambition. … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the need for an improved strategic approach to accessibility but will incorporate it within its forthcoming Integrated Transport Strategy (INTS) rather than publishing a separate Inclusive Transport Strategy, ensuring it has a clear action plan, milestones, and specific focus on people.
Department for Transport
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5 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Commit to publishing a roadmap for achieving independent rail network accessibility within 12 months.
As part of a new Inclusive Transport Strategy, the Government must set out concrete timescales for achieving independent accessibility across the rail network, and commit to setting out within 12 months a road map for how to meet those timescales. … Read more
Government Response
The government will publish an Accessibility Roadmap later this year, outlining measures and initiatives to be undertaken before Great British Railways is established, but it does not explicitly commit to setting concrete timescales for achieving full independent accessibility across the entire rail network.
Department for Transport
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7 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Publish full station accessibility audit information and an open data register of key assets.
Station accessibility audit information must be published in full within two months of this report to permit independent scrutiny of progress, the resources required and any decisions made to rule out works at particular locations. In its Inclusive Transport Strategy, … Read more
Government Response
The government states that rail station accessibility audit data is already available on the Rail Data Marketplace. For bus and rail accessibility assets, the Department is undertaking discovery work to capture this data within NaPTAN for future journey planning tools.
Department for Transport
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13 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Share DPTAC's policy involvement work plan and publish quarterly impact reports.
The Department should share with this Committee a work plan mapping out DPTAC’s involvement in upcoming policy decisions, and publish quarterly reports detailing the impact that DPTAC has had on the Department’s decision-making. (Recommendation, Paragraph 77) Read more
Government Response
The government states that DPTAC's publishing decisions are for DPTAC itself, but notes that DPTAC has agreed to enhance its public reporting by publishing regular work programme updates and meeting minutes at least quarterly.
Department for Transport
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16 Recommendation Accepted in Part
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Establish an expert unit to review, benchmark, and standardise transport accessibility training packages.
It is not sufficient for training to be delivered on disability awareness, accessibility and preventing discrimination: the training must be of a guaranteed minimum standard and proven to be effective in improving outcomes. The Department for Transport should, with the … Read more
Government Response
The government agrees there is merit in reviewing, benchmarking, and standardising training packages across transport modes. It will work with DPTAC and disabled persons organisations to assess how this can be undertaken timely to support new statutory training requirements, though it doesn't commit to establishing a dedicated expert unit.
Department for Transport
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Government Response AI assessment · 29 of 18 classified
Accepted 10
Accepted in Part 5
Acknowledged 7
Deferred 4
Not Addressed 2
Rejected 1
Total 18 recs + 11 conclusions
Correspondence 19 letters
21 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from the Minister for Rail relating to accessibility at stations, dated 15 January 2026
Parliament page
2 Jul 2025 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State for Transport relating to the Government response to accessible transport report, dated 26 June 2025
Parliament page
13 Jun 2025 To committee Letter from the Chair to the Secretary of State for Transport relating to the Government's response to the Committee's report on accessible transport, dated 11 June 2025
Parliament page
21 Feb 2024 Correspondence from the Minister for Maritime International and Security relating to maritime accessibility, dated 31 January 2024
Parliament page
21 Feb 2024 Correspondence from the Deputy Chief Executive, EHRC relating to accessible transport evidence, dated 13 January 2024
Parliament page
21 Feb 2024 Correspondence from Chair to Minister for Maritime International and Security, Department for Transport relating to maritime accessibility, dated 11 January 2024
Parliament page
24 Jan 2024 Correspondence from the Operations Director, Confederation of Passenger Transport relating to accessible transport follow-up evidence, dated 18 December 2023
Parliament page
17 Jan 2024 Correspondence from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport relating to oral evidence session follow-up from 13 December 2023, dated 12 January 2024
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17 Jan 2024 Correspondence from the Traffic Commissioner relating to Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 2000, dated 19 December 2023
Parliament page
22 Nov 2023 Correspondence from the Minister for Rail, Department for Transport, relating to rail ticket office closures, dated 14 November 2023
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15 Nov 2023 Correspondence from the Managing Director, Chiltern Railways relating to rail ticket office closures, dated 8 November 2023
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23 Oct 2023 Correspondence from the Chair of the Committee to the Minister for Rail relating to proposals for rail ticket office closures, dated 20 October 2023
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20 Oct 2023 Correspondence from the Chief Information Officer, Rail Delivery Group relating to rail ticket office closures, dated 9 October 2023
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20 Oct 2023 Correspondence from the Managing Director, Chiltern Railways relating to rail ticket office closures, dated 11 October 2023
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20 Oct 2023 Correspondence from the Managing Director, LNER relating to rail ticket office closures, dated 11 October 2023
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20 Oct 2023 Correspondence from the Managing Director, Avanti West Coast Railways relating to rail ticket office closures, dated 11 October 2023
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19 Sep 2023 Correspondence from the Chief Executive, LNER, relating to Accessible transport - rail ticket office closures, dated 19 September 2023
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12 Sep 2023 Correspondence from Chair to the Rail Minister relating to rail ticket offices, dated 27 July 2023
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12 Sep 2023 Correspondence from the Rail Minister relating to rail ticket offices, dated 11 September 2023
Parliament page