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
4 results
Clear
6 Recommendation Deferred
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Adopt a rolling programme of rapid interventions for station accessibility upgrades.
Progress in implementing agreed accessibility upgrades at stations has been too halting, and delivery too slow and costly. The Department for Transport and its agencies and partners should consider adopting a different commissioning approach based on a rolling programme of … Read more
Government Response
The government is exploring adapting the Access for All programme to a longer-term, rolling programme to improve efficiency and delivery. It will also consider how regulators could be empowered to proactively enforce accessible design standards.
Department for Transport
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17 Recommendation Deferred
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Mandate Great British Railways to prioritise accessibility in future staffing level and location decisions.
The presence of staff is often a crucial determinant of the ability of disabled people to travel. Ahead of the establishment of Great British Railways and nationalisation of operating companies, the Department must be prepared to intervene where necessary to … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the important role of staff for disabled travellers and highlights existing requirements. It defers specific actions to future initiatives like the Accessibility Roadmap, the forthcoming Railways Bill (which will propose an accessibility duty for a new watchdog), and design work for GBR over the next 12-18 months.
Department for Transport
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24 Recommendation Deferred
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Lead a review of transport accessibility legislation, collaborating with disabled people, to update and clarify standards.
The Department for Transport should lead a review of transport accessibility legislation in collaboration with the Office for Equality and Opportunity, and with meaningful involvement and leadership by disabled people, to assess how it could be streamlined, clarified and updated, … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts the need to review transport accessibility legislation but has deferred the work to the Law Commission, having approached them to assess their capacity to undertake this review.
Department for Transport
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25 Recommendation Deferred
1st Report – Access denied: rights…
Require evidence of e-scooter schemes managing negative impacts on disabled people's street access.
The case of e-scooters demonstrates the importance of ensuring that enforcement is not an afterthought when new elements are introduced into transport networks. Should the Government eventually seek to legislate for permanent e-scooter rental schemes or use of privately-owned e-scooters … Read more
Government Response
The government notes the importance of evidence for future e-scooter regulation and intends to consult on new regulations. It is undertaking trials and evaluations until May 2026, with results to be published in due course, and has announced powers for local leaders to regulate micromobility schemes.
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
Parliament page
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