D.P.T.A.C

(Established under the Transport Art. 1985)

 Siwan DaviesCommittee ClerkEnvironment, Planning and Transport CommitteeThe National Assembly for WalesCardiff BayCARDIFFCF99 1 NA 

3 October 2000

Policy Review of Public Transport in WalesThank you for your email of 20 September with which you sent a copy of your letter of 13 July. We are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the review, and for the extension to the 22 September deadline.Although DPTAC has no detailed knowledge of transport issues unique to Wales, we are keen to ensure that in conducting the policy review your Committee takes full account of the needs of disabled people.To that end, I enclose three annexes which I hope will of interest to the Committee. The first sets out the background to DPTAC and its relations with the devolved authorities. You will see that DPTAC is looking to develop its contacts with the devolved authorities. We believe it is particularly important that all authorities in the UK should receive consistent advice on the needs of disabled people. You will also note that we envisage DPTAC's forthcoming work on rural issues as being of particular mutual interest.The second paper sets out the key principles that DPTAC adopts in submitting advice on the transport needs of disabled people. I should like to draw your attention to the principle that accessibility should be an essential ingredient in the provision of transport. This suggestion was taken up - and expanded - by the Government in its 10 year transport plan published in July this year. The plan makes clear the Government's commitment that "building in accessibility for disabledpeople in all new investment is a condition of public money being spent." DPTAC Welcomes this commitment and commends it to the Environment, Planning and Transport Committee. DPTAC also endorses last year's ECIVIT Charter on Access to Transport Services and Infrastructure, which covered similar ground, and is included in this annex.The third annex lists a number of guidance documents which are in the process of being finalised, and which we believe will be of interest to the Committee. Should you have any trouble getting hold of them, please let me know and I will see if I can get copies for you.I hope this information is helpful. Please let me know if there is anything further we can provide.I am sending a copy of this letter and its enclosures to Jane Large.  JOHN NICHOLLSSecretary 

Annex 1

DPTAC : background

The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) was set up under the Transport Act of 1985 to advise Government on the transport needs of disabled people. It has a maximum of 20 members (of whom at least half must be disabled), representing a wide range of transport interests. Members are appointed by Ministers and are unpaid, apart form the reimbursement of expenses. The Chair of DPTAC is Jane Wilmot OBE.Over the 15 years of its existence, DPTAC has performed a dual role of providing advice to Ministers and promoting the interests of disabled people by issuing guidance to the transport industries. For example, DPTAC's technical specification for accessible low floor buses became an industry benchmark.DPTAC's Main Committee meets four times a year. DPTAC also has six Working Groups, each dealing with a particular mode of transport. Working Groups are made up of representatives from industry and Government, as well as DPTAC members. In addition to the transport working groups, DPTAC has recently established a new working group to advise on improving access to the built environment for disabled people. DPTAC was invited to set up the new group by Nick Raynsford MP (the Minister for Construction and Planning) in response to the recommendation of the Disability Rights Task Force that such as group should be established.DPTAC's relationship with the devolved administrationsDPTAC has been considering how best to develop its relationships with the devolved administrations in London, Scotland and Wales. At its June meeting, DPTAC decided that(i) The Committee should seek to establish good working relationships with the devolved administrations, and ensure that DPTAC's views are fully represented to them; and that(ii) DPTAC should seek to ensure that consistent (UK/GB-wide) advice is given to the devolved administrations on the transport needs of disabled people.There is no statutory reference to DPTAC in the legislation governing Welsh devolution. DPTAC therefore has no legal obligation to the National Assembly for Wales (NAW), but it remains open to the Secretary of State to ask DPTAC to consider matters affecting the transport needs of disabled people in Wales.DETR / National Assembly for Wales concordatDPTAC is mentioned in the (non-statutory) concordat between DETR and NAW. The concordat records that the NAW has observer status on DPTAC and that NAW will be invited to nominate one member to represent Welsh interests on the Committee.As you know, as part of the programme of developing good relations with the devolved authorities, Carol Thomas (the only Wales-based DPTAC member) and I had a meeting earlier this month with NAW officials. It was agreed that we should send copies of DPTAC papers to NAW officials, and that Assembly officials would be welcome to attend DPTAC meetings.At the meeting, we touched upon one issue that may be of particular mutual interest. DPTAC is establishing a short-life working group to consider the transport needs of disabled people living in, or wishing to travel to, rural areas. It may be that the Assembly would be able to contribute to the work of this group by sharing experiences of problems faced by disabled people from rural Welsh areas, and any examples of good practice.   DPTAC SecretariatOctober 2000 Annex 2DPTAC principlesDPTAC has identified the need to set out an overarching set of principles on which to base its advice to Government, other organisations and disabled people. In formulating advice to Government and other organisations, DPTAC will therefore be guided by the following key principles:

• whenever any investment is made in transport, accessibility must be included as an essential ingredient, on the basis that whatever transport services and facilities are available to non-disabled people, they should also be available to disabled people.
• investment in new infrastructure and vehicles should not divert attention from the need for improvements to existing facilities.
• investment in infrastructure and vehicles is not enough. Disability awareness training - at all levels, from the Boardroom through to operational staff - is essential.
• The transport needs of disabled people are not restricted to wheelchair users or ambulant disabled people. Any proposals for transport vehicles, infrastructure or services should directly address access barriers faced by all disabled people, including people with a sensory impairment or with a learning disability.
• It should be the responsibility of the service provider to ensure that its services are accessible to disabled people, or to justify the absence of accessible services.

DPTAC will also be guided by the following key principles when giving advice to disabled people:

• DPTAC will encourage all disabled people to travel by public transport where it is accessible, available and affordable. At the same time, DPTAC recognises that for some disabled people there will never be a realistic alternative to the private car. Disabled people who must rely on private transport should not be penalised for that.
• DPTAC will seek to ensure that all disabled people are aware of developments in transport policy which impact on their mobility choices and opportunities.
• DPTAC will take full account of the broad views and experiences of all disabled people in preparing guidance documents.

  DPTAC SecretariatOctober 2000

 

 

EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT

CONFĖRENCE EUROPĖENNE DES MINISTRES DES TRANSPORTS

 

CHARTER ON ACCESS TO TRANSPORT SERVICES

AND INFRASTRUCTURE

  

EUROPEAN CONFERENCE OF MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT

CONFĖRENCE EUROPĖENNE DES MINISTRES DES TRANSPORTS

  Annex 3List of forthcoming publicationsDPTAC guidance on "the design of large passenger ships and passenger infrastructure meeting the needs of disabled peopleOffice of the Rail Regulator Code of Practice for the protection of disabled rail usersDisability Rights Commission C Code of Practice on new requirements to make goods, facilities and services more accessible to disabled people from 2004 (under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995)DETR Air Access Code of PracticeDETR Guidance on Best Practice in Meeting the Needs of Disabled People in the Pedestrian Environment and in Transport-related InfrastructureAssociation of Transport Co-ordinating Officers Code of Practice on Timetable Information etcDPTAC SecretariatOctober 2000