Annual Report 2005-2006

A: The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee

Background

1. DPTAC is the independent body set up to advise the UK government on the transport needs of disabled people. We provide expert advice and carry out independent research. Our aim is to help develop a more inclusive society. This means one where more people are able to take part. We were set up under the 1985 Transport Act and held our first meeting in 1986.

Our function

2. We advise the government on a number of topics. In 2005- 2006 these have included the following:

• Putting the Disability Discrimination Act 2005 into practice, in relation to transport.
• Dealing with how disabled people can be supported in making decision on the use of transport facilities and services.
• Monitoring the progress made so far on access to transport.
• Developing guidance for the professionals who design and run transport in this country.
• Making sure disabled people can influence access to transport in all its forms and at all levels.

Our aims

3. We want disabled people to be able to go where everyone else goes and to do so easily and without extra cost. We would like to see this happen over the next fifteen years. We have chosen this time span because all rail vehicles will be accessible to disabled people by 2020, and buses will be accessible to people with mobility impairments by 2017. Our membership includes disabled people with a broad range of experiences of using transport and buildings, as well as professional people dealing with disability and transport. This ensures that we can speak with credibility on both the needs of transport customers and effective ways of meeting them. We regularly experience the difficulties disabled people face getting around, not least attending meetings and events on behalf of DPTAC.

4. We are committed to the creation of a fully inclusive transport system which:

• Provides equitable access.
• Allocates appropriate space for people.
• Ensures ease of use, comprehension and understanding.
• Requires only acceptable levels of stress, physical strength and effort.
• Achieves safe, comfortable and healthy environments.

Our strategy

5. Our overall strategy is to lead in the development of policy and to influence government decisions through providing high quality advice informed by disabled people who have a stake in the services. This will help us to ensure the delivery of a transport system that is accessible to everyone.

6. Last year we adopted a new strategy that sets out how we plan to carry out our work between 2005 and 2007. This is published on our website (www.dptac.gov.uk). Towards the end of 2005, we began to think about our strategy for 2007-10, and we will consult on it during the coming year. Details are obtainable from the address at the front of this report.

7. Each year, we develop a detailed programme of work that shows the activities that we plan to carry out to achieve our aims. Our Work Programme for 2006-07 is set out in Section C.

Membership

8. Ministers make new appointments to our membership on a rolling programme to ensure continuity. As a result, we retain expertise even when experienced members retire or their appointments are not renewed. In the summer of 2005 two new members were appointed, Judith Jesky and Tomi Jones, for a period of three years to December 2007, and all existing members continued to serve.

9. Since the end of the period covered by this report, Transport Ministers have appointed a further four and reappointed six members to DPTAC If you would like to be added to the mailing list of people to be sent more information about application rounds in future years, including details of how to apply, then please contact:

The Mobility and Inclusion Unit
Department for Transport,
4/25, Great Minster House,
76 Marsham Street,
London SW1P 4DR
Telephone: 020 7944 8021 or 020 7944 3277 (Minicom)
E-mail: miu@dft.gsi.gov.uk

10. We have held and evaluated training for our two new members, on the main issues relevant to disabled people and on our work. New and established members, supported by the secretariat, work well as an integrated team.

11. The working groups that we re-established in 2003 for the different modes of transport and for education and training have continued to be the main way that we take forward our work. Each group has a Chair and supporting members and we have also included representation from industry, regulatory bodies and government departments.

Our resources

12. The Department for Transport has provided the resources to support our work. Table 1 below shows our operating costs in each of the past three financial years. In addition we have been able to call on the Department for Transport's research budget to carry out work reviewing the effectiveness of the guidance we produced for port and vessel operators, on Home Zones and in future on a training framework and generic principles for disability awareness for front line transport staff. Further details of this work are given in Section B.

Table 1: DPTAC actual expenditure 2002-03 to 2004-05 (All figures in pounds sterling)

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