Annual Report 1999

4. The year ahead

2000 will be a year in which decisions on transport are taken which will have long term effects on the mobility and transport needs of all disabled people and the wider community. DPTAC is determined not to miss the opportunity to advise Government on how best to achieve accessible solutions to transport problems. DPTAC also wishes to raise awareness among disabled people of DPTAC's activities and developments in accessible transport and to provide impartial advice to local disability groups involved in consultations with transport providers.

We want to raise the profile of the Committee and make it work more effectively. To that end, we shall review DPTAC's approach to the discharge of its statutory duties and identify areas for possible improvement.

Statement of DPTAC principles

DPTAC 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.

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.

Work programme

DPTAC has agreed a work programme for the year 2000 (summarised in Appendix F).

Built environment

One of the recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force was that a DPTAC-style body should be set up to advise on ways of improving access to the built environment for disabled people. The Minister (Nick Raynsford) has subsequently invited DPTAC to establish a new Working Group to take on this work, and DPTAC has willingly agreed to do so. The new group will be established during 2000.

Published 11 December 2000

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