Transport Act 1985

The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) is a statutory body set up under the Transport Act 1985 to advise the Government on transport policy as it affects the mobility of disabled people.

Section 125 of the Transport Act 1985, provides that:

1:- There shall be established in accordance with this section a body known as the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.

2:- The Committee shall consist of -

a:- a chairman appointed by the Secretary of State; and

b:- not less than ten, nor more than twenty, other members appointed by the Secretary of State after consultation with such bodies as appear to him to be representative of the interests of persons likely to be significantly concerned with matters within the competence of the Committee.

3:- The Secretary of State shall, so far as is reasonably practicable, secure that at all times at least half of the membership of the Committee consists of persons who are disabled.

4:- The Secretary of State may appoint one or more members of the Committee to be deputy chairman or (as the case may be) deputy chairmen of the Committee.

5:- It shall be the duty of the Committee to consider any matter, relating to the needs of disabled persons in connection with public passenger transport, which is referred to them by the Secretary of State or which they think it appropriate to consider without such a reference and to give such advice to the Secretary of State on any matter which they have considered as they think appropriate.

6:- The Committee shall make an annual report to the Secretary of State, who shall lay a copy of it before each House of Parliament.

7:- The Secretary of State shall from time to time issue guidance as to measures that may be taken with a view to -

a:- making access to vehicles used in the provision of public passenger transport services by road easier for disabled persons; and

b:- making such vehicles better adapted to the needs of disabled persons.

8:- The Secretary of State shall consult the Committee before issuing any such guidance.

9:- Schedule 5 to this Act shall have effect with respect to the Committee.

Schedule 5 : Administration, etc.

1:- The Secretary of State shall make arrangements for the Committee to be provided with such administrative support and office accommodation as he considers appropriate.

2:- The Secretary of State shall provide the Committee with funds with which to pay to their members such travelling and other allowances, and to defray such other expenses in connection with their functions, as he may determine.

Constitution and procedure

3:-

i:- Any person appointed to be a member of the Committee shall hold and vacate office in accordance with the terms of his appointment and shall, on ceasing to be a member of the Committee, be eligible for re-appointment.

ii:- Any person so appointed may at any time resign his office by written notice given to the Secretary of State.

4:-

i:- The Committee shall meet whenever convened by the chairman and at least four times a year.

ii:- Without prejudice to the discretion of the chairman to call a meeting whenever he thinks fit, he shall call one when required to do so by any five members of the Committee.

iii:- Minutes shall be kept of the proceedings of every meeting of the Committee.

iv:- Subject to the preceding provisions of this paragraph, the Committee shall determine their own procedure (including the quorum at their meetings).

5:- The Committee may delegate the exercise and performance of any of their functions to such of their sub-committees as they think fit.

6:- The validity of any proceedings of the Committee shall not be affected by any vacancy amongst the members, by any defect in the appointment of a member or by any failure to comply with the requirement by section 125 (3) of this Act.

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