Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC)

Copies of a DPTAC information leaflet (Adobe Acrobat- 571kb) can be obtained free of charge from DPTAC. This leaflet is also available in alternative formats.

Who we are

We are the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee, DPTAC.

Our purpose

We have been established by an Act of Parliament as an independent body to advise Government on the transport needs of all disabled people across the UK.

We also advise on the built environment needs of all disabled people.

The task

This is a huge task. There are over 9.8 million disabled adults in Great Britain, who face major, widespread problems and disadvantages on all forms of transport and in the built environment.

Our aim

Our aim is to ensure that all disabled people can go where everyone else goes and that they can do so easily and without extra cost. We would like to see this happen over the next 10 years.

Attitudes are changing. There has already been some progress in recent years but it has been slow.

The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 created statutory rights and obligations. Under the Act, new trains and buses must meet tough accessibility requirements. Although this is a great improvement on where this country was only few years ago, this Act still needs to be improved.

Our members

Our Chair is Neil Betteridge. There are 20 other members of DPTAC representing a wide cross-section of disabled people and key transport professionals with experience of disability issues, as well as representatives from Scotland and Wales. By law, at least half of the DPTAC members have to be disabled. At the moment, about 70% are. The Chair and members are appointed by Ministers and serve for three years. Copies of the Register of Members' Interests are available on request from the Secretariat. We have a small Secretariat with an office in London.

Membership as at January 2008

How to become a member

The Department for Transport is currently seeking applications for DPTAC membership. Details can be found at: www.dft.gov.uk/about/recruitment/dptacmembers.

Our statutory responsibilities

DPTAC has a statutory duty to consider any matter referred to it by Ministers but it can give advice on any other issue on the transport needs of all disabled people in England, Wales and Scotland. We also have a number of specific statutory roles.

How we work

Our role in relation to Government and industry is to give credible advice:

to represent all disabled people
on legislation, regulations or guidance on transport and the built environment and
in response to important consultation documents.

We work closely with a range of bodies that include Department for Transport (DfT), the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland. We have established concordats with the Disability Rights Commission (now the Equality and Human Rights Commission) and the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland which govern relationships between DPTAC and these two bodies.

Our principles in relation to disabled people

To take account of the broad views and experiences of all disabled people
To encourage disabled people to travel by public transport where it is accessible, available and affordable.
To ensure that all disabled people are aware of developments in transport and access to buildings, which affect their mobility choices and opportunities.

Our principles in advising Government and industry

Accessibility is a condition of any investment
Accessibility must be a mainstream activity
Users should be involved in determining accessibility
Accessibility is the responsibility of the provider

Annual report

To find out about our recent activities please see our recent annual reports:

Annual Report 2005-2006

What we cannot do

We have no powers to investigate complaints about transport or the built environment - However, on occasions individual cases can inform DPTAC's thinking on wider issues.
We can not make or enforce law - It is Government and the regulatory authorities that enforce the law. The Equality and Human Rights Commission can assist individual disabled people to enforce disability discrimination legislation.
We have no executive powers - It is the DfT, regulatory authorities, industry, local authorities, regional agencies and devolved bodies, such as the Scottish Executive, the Welsh Assembly and the Mayor of London who have specific responsibilities for transport and the built environment.
We are not a campaigning organisation - Our role is to give Government timely and credible advice which takes account of the broad views of all disabled people.

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