Annual Report 1998

2. Chairman's Introduction

1998 was another busy year for DPTAC in which we continued to work closely with Ministers and officials at DETR, local authorities, disability interests and the transport industries to try and achieve a fully accessible UK transport system.

This year has seen a great deal of work done on the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). We have responded to consultations on the Governments' proposals for buses and coaches and rail vehicles and the Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations will start applying to all new rolling stock from 1 January 1999. We recognise that a lot of work has gone into getting these regulations right and we hope that they will provide significant benefits to all rail travellers in the future. Under the regulations, a sub-group of the Rail Working Group has been set up to deal with exemption applications from rail operators. This group will be taking a firm line on these applications, advising Ministers that exemptions should only be granted in exceptional circumstances.

We are eagerly awaiting DETR's formal consultation on draft regulations on taxi accessibility, promised for spring/summer of 1999. Again, DPTAC will have a statutory role in advising Ministers on exemption applications from licensing authorities. We also hope to see some movement from DETR on bus and coach regulations.

We have continued to be involved with the Government's plans for an integrated transport policy. We have been keen to ensure that the needs of disabled people are not forgotten - especially those who will always rely on a car to meet most of their mobility needs. The report by the Ad Hoc Group on Restrictions on Personal Vehicular Transport published its report and the Personal Mobility Group has also published a report on the Orange Badge Scheme. Both reports are available from the Secretariat.

The reports by the various Working Group Chairmen contain further details of the work of the Committee. Once again the Main Committee and the Working Groups have worked extremely hard in the past year and I am very grateful to all those who have contributed so effectively to the work of the Committee.

1998 was also a sad one for the Committee as it saw the death, after a short illness, of Claudia Flanders, one of our most valued members. Claudia's expertise and enthusiasm will be greatly missed both by DPTAC and by all those who knew her.

This year was my last as DPTAC Chairman as I will be standing down when the current appointments to the Committee expire on 31 December. I would like to thank all those who have made my last six years in post so challenging, rewarding and enjoyable.
I would also like to wish my successor and the new Committee every success in the future.

BOB TAYLOR
Chairman

Published 1 October 1999

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