Annual Report 1997

6. Report of the Rail Working Group

Members
Jill Allen-King - National Federation of the Blind of the UK
Tony Aston - Royal National Institute for the Blind
Brian Bigwood - DPTAC
David Finnegan - Passenger Transport Executive Group
Claudia Flanders - DPTAC
Stella Fowler - London Regional Passengers Committee
Trond Haugen - Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers
Bert Massie - DPTAC
Campbell McKee - Mobility Products Association
Patricia Pay - Formerly British Rail Advisory Group
Jane Wilmot - DPTAC

Observers
Andrew Braddock - London Transport
Alan Cooksey - HM Railways Inspectorate
Myles Sibley - HM Railways Inspectorate
Ann Frye - DETR
Louise Hart - Railtrack
Mark Norrington - Office of Passenger Rail Franchising
Sue Sharp - DETR
Iryna Terlecky - Office of the Rail Regulator
John Yunnie - Association of Train Operating Companies

One of the most important areas of the Group's work in 1997 has been to continue to support the Department in moving forward with the Rail Accessibility Regulations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). The Group was particularly pleased to have been able to demonstrate the safety issues surrounding the provision of on-board audible and visual information displays which has led to a requirement being included in the Government's proposals.

Another issue which is particularly relevant to the DDA is the design of the on-board wheelchair accessible toilets. The Group believes that while existing designs represent a significant improvement, there is still scope for offering improved levels of access which would not only benefit wheelchair users but also other disabled people and passengers with small children. We have been talking to manufacturers about achieving improvements and we have also been working, through the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR), with some engineering consultants who are interested in improving the door opening/closing mechanism.

In the days pre accessibility regulations the Group has, however, been heartened by the enthusiasm of the railway industry to go as far as possible to meet the spirit of the new legislation. To that extent a number of them have had meetings with members of the Group and with the Secretariat to discuss their proposals for new build and refurbished rolling stock. Members of the Group have also made visits to a number of operators, both of stations and rolling stock. In particular, the Group, in conjunction with the Airports Working Group, has continued to monitor progress on Heathrow Express and a visit to the new station at Heathrow is proposed for 1998.

The Group's working relationship with the Office of the Rail Regulator (ORR) has continued. We have had preliminary discussions with ORR on the review of the Code of Practice - Meeting the Needs of Disabled Passengers. We are looking forward to this project being taken forward in the course of 1998.

Railtrack, the Association of Train Operating Companies and the Office of Passenger Rail Franchising have continued to attend the Group's meetings which has proved to be an invaluable way of keeping in touch with new developments. In particular, we have been following Railtrack's progress on the Station Regeneration Project. Although the Project is not strictly related to addressing the needs of disabled people, it is clear that a number of the initiatives will have particular benefits for them, and this has been welcomed by members. We have also been pleased that Railtrack have set aside funds for projects specifically relating to disabled passengers and we are pleased that they have carried out comprehensive access audits to help inform their project management.

We are also grateful to the work which the Railway Inspectorate have done to progress the guidance on improving the conspicuity of mobile plant at stations. The initial idea came to the Group from the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Railway Inspectorate agreed to work with us to develop the initial paper into guidance for the industry.

Some issues have rumbled on over this year. The carriage of scooters is one issue which remains controversial. We have always upheld the majority view of the industry and supported the ban on the carriage of such mobility equipment. But with the advent of the DDA we have embarked on a survey to find out what is happening across the operating companies in terms of their policies and experience. In the light of those responses the Group will be re-examining the issue to ensure that our current stance is still justified.

The Group has in the past received complaints from members of the public about their experience with rail travel. Clearly, it is not the role of DPTAC to investigate individual complaints which should initially go to the relevant operator and then to the Railway Users Consultative Committees (RUCCs). We are, however, keen to have information about the broad issues which are identified in the complaints from disabled passengers. Armed with that knowledge the Group believes that it will be better able to shape the advice which it provides to the various industry bodies and to the train operating companies themselves. We have started discussions with the ORR and the RUCC about obtaining such information and we hope that further progress will be possible in the course of 1998.

Jean Ashcroft
Chair

Rail Working Group - Work Programme 1998

1. Work with DETR to introduce rail accessibility regulations under Part V of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and to consider the implementation of Part III of the Act in relation to railway stations.

2. Continue to work with ATOC, ORR, Railtrack and OPRAF to improve accessibility across the rail network.

3. Work with the ORR to revise the Code of Practice on meeting the needs of disabled passengers, and the guidance on Disabled Persons' Protection Policies (DPPPs). Linking in, as appropriate with the implementation of Part III and the rail regulations under Part V of the DDA.

4. Work with the appropriate bodies to ensure that complaints procedures are:
   • disability friendly and accessible to disabled people;

   • monitored and the results fed into the regulatory framework and passed to DPTAC; and

   • widely disseminated and used by disabled people.

5. Establish effective means of receiving reports/presentations from the Train Operating Companies (TOCs) and to consider, with the Secretariat, the most effective means for providing timely advice to the TOCs and manufacturers about new rolling stock and refurbishment proposals.

6. Consider issues surrounding the provision of information, and to consider producing advice for the industry on access to, and quality of rail information.

7. Determine circumstances when buses/coaches/taxis are used to enhance or replace rail services to ensure they are fully accessible.

8. Devise a training programme on disability awareness for all relevant rail staff and, in co-operation with industry, to produce guidance on the procedures to be followed by railway staff in their relations with disabled passengers.

9. Monitor destaffing of stations.

Terms of Reference for the Rail Working Group
(including light, heavy and underground rail)

1. The membership of the Group will be agreed with the Chair of the Group and the Chairman of the DPTAC. Membership will be limited to no more than twenty members.

2. The membership of the Group will include representatives from disability interests and the rail industry. Regulators of that industry will have observer status.

3. The Group will normally meet at least four times a year.

4. The Chair of the Group will generally be a full time member of the DPTAC and will make a report on the Group's work to each meeting of DPTAC.

5. The Group will:

   a) consider issues affecting elderly and disabled people using railway passenger services, including issues relating to station services;

   b) consider requests from DETR and other Government Departments to DPTAC for guidance/advice on policy issues and make recommendations to DPTAC on those issues;

   c) undertake such work as they, in consultation with DPTAC, consider necessary to progress the interests of disabled people in relation to rail travel;

   d) raise issues, through DPTAC, for consideration by the DETR;

   e) draw up guidance and codes of practice, as necessary, for clearance by DPTAC for publication as formal DPTAC advice;

   f) provide advice to DPTAC, on consultation papers from Government and other organisations; and

   g) provide advice to DPTAC in relation to its statutory role in respect of the rail provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

6. All papers submitted to the Group will be confidential to its members and details discussed within the Group should not be discussed with third parties, without prior agreement of the Secretariat.

Published 3 June 1998

Top of page